[3GScottishUser]

Subsidised laptops don’t appear to have the same effect as subsidised mobile phones, according to comments made by Dixons Store Group (DSG) and reports of slow sales of free laptops at Carphone Warehouse.

DSG, which issued a profits warning last week, said its £300 discount on laptops on Orange broadband deals didn’t make the impact that was expected. The Group ended the deal after slow sales on the promotion.

Carphone has also downgraded its heavily promoted free laptop deal with AOL subscriptions on long contracts after a sluggish take-up.

A huge campaign for free laptops with long AOL broadband contracts which covered press and outdoor advertising, failed to make an impact. Retail sources at Carphone reported slim interest in the promotion.

Carphone had brokered the deal for Dell laptops with former Motorola handset boss Ron Garriques, who is now president of Dell’s consumer business.

http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/Subsidised_laptops_at_DSG_and_Carphone_don’t_reel_ in_customers.html

[gorilla]

Maybe they should offer free macbooks!

[Hands0n]

The killer for regular broadband offering is the likes of Sky with their free Base package. Even for those wanting more, their £5 Mid and £10 Max (truly unlimited) is difficult to beat.

I think that the punter has not been persuaded by the "free laptop" as the deal is plain for all to see - that it is a 0% finance initiative that has an 18-month lock-in to an ISP.

I do think that correct targetting of such deals via Mobile to students and flat-dwellers is a better strategy. But the current trend is for random nationwide advertising. I think that people simply don't get it! Hence the lack of take-up.

[Ben]

I certainly don't see the attraction for getting a free laptop with a broadband package.

Mobile broadband is another matter IMHO - it's actually a logical combination.