Mobile broadband PCs with embedded 3G - pricing comparisons

Interesting to see that Dell in the US has announced the availability of Mini 9 netbooks with optional embedded 3G.

The optional extra cost is an interesting one though - $125. Of which $120 is refundable through AT&T if you take out a data plan starting at $60/month for 24 months. (The base price of the PC is $349 plus other options and taxes).


Makes the UK plan from Vodafone look pretty good value in comparison, at £25 / £30 (for 1GB or 3GB per month respectively) for 24 months - plus you get the embedded-3G PC for free.


Although it's still better value just to buy the PC and add a separate 3G dongle....

As a side note, the UK Dell site has an advertising banner from Vodafone which offers a free 30-day trial and half-priced optional internal modem. It says "Select the option to include the half price mobile broadband module with your notebook". Initially, all the laptop configuration pages I checked out on the site, didn't give a mobile broadband option, full-price or otherwise. Then I found one which suggested the option would cost £50, but it was unclear whether this was the half-price or the full-price amount. And then when I selected it, it told me "Errors: The selection - Wireless Label (Dell Wireless Cards)- Core 2 Duo is incompatible with Wireless Networking ". Yes, this embedded module approach is so much easier than using a dongle.....