O2 joins the free laptop brigade

It's taken a while, but O2 has finally cottoned on to the fact that bundled laptops boost sales of mobile broadband. 

The mobile operator is to offer a choice of two laptops for customers signing up to its mobile broadband package: the 10.2in Samsung NC10 netbook mini-notebook (see our first impressions and video of the NC10) and the higher-specced R510, also from Samsung and featuring a 15.4in screen.

You'll need to sign up to a contract of at least £30 per month to get the NC10 (pictured) at no additional cost, while the R510 requires a contract of at least £40 per month along with a one-off payment of £80. More after the cut.

Both packages also require you to pen your name to a two-year contract and come with a 3Gb data allowance – you can up this to 10Gb if you pay an extra £10 per month. And for a further £5 each month, you can get O2's home broadband service thrown in to the bargain as well.

Don't go rushing to the O2 site yet, though, as the deals aren't listed at present and won't actually available until the end of this month.

If £30 per month sounds a bit expensive, there are cheaper alternatives available. As we reported last week, rival network 3 currently has the cheapest combined laptop/mobile broadband package - for £20 per month you get a Compaq Mini 700 at no additional cost.