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Free Laptop Offer - is it phone and broadband packages good deal?

A free laptop offer is just one of the ways that various companies are trying to win your business, especially in the broadband industry where competition is fierce. How can they afford to do this?

Well, broadband internet services I say, competition is fierce. Once the tmnet streamyx bill has broadband set up, they need customers. It's better to have 10,000 customers at a small profit margin than none at all. All of these deals tend to make celcom broadband wireless take another service with the company as well, so they in effect get 2 customers for the price of tmnet So this works in our favour, its good news for you and me.

This is how I see things, bearing in mind that most broadband companies offering a laptop make you take a phone service as well.

1 Most people have broadband and they pay for it.

2 Most people have a home phone and they pay for it.

When you add it up, you probably aren't paying anymore, just transferring your spend to gain a laptop. So what do you need to look out for?

I would always recommend checking that the spec of the laptop is more than good enough to last you for at least a couple of years. You can't expect to get a free laptop and run after one 1 month. No, there is usually going to be a contract term of around 2 years. Anymore and I wouldn't take the deal because things change so fast.

I would also check the company is reputable, i.e. a good brand name, or trading on the stock exchange for example.

Check what happens if the laptop breaks down within the contract period. There is one supplier offering a free laptop that actually gives you a lifetime warranty for the laptop as long as you are a customer on the same service.

Is the broadband equipment free or is there a setup fee? These days you shouldn't really be paying, as the cost is usually spread internet ads the months of the contract.

Are there any hidden extras? For example, the best laptop offer in my opinion makes you take out one energy utility with them (gas or electricity). Luckily enough the services come with a guarantee, and sure enough I save money on that as well. It is worth checking though as I hadn't realised initially.

Check the speed of the broadband and download limits. I wouldn't accept less than 2MB speed and 20GB of download limit. 40GB would be my preferred choice.

How long does it take to get your laptop? No use of they take 28 days for delivery but you need it tomorrow.

For those of you interested in a free laptop offer, I hope this has helped. Good luck.

Read about a great free laptop offer here.

Broadband Phone Service

By far the biggest reason people use broadband telephone service is to save money on broadband speed tester calls. Mainly long distance or international. If you're looking into the possibilities of broadband broadband and streamyx service, broadband speed checker are still unsure of exactly what it is, how to use it, or what you'll need to use it, this article will explain step by step what you need to know about using broadband phone service, how to use it, its benefits, and its limitations.

What Broadband Phone Service is

Broadband telephone uses VoIP (Voice over IP) technology to convert voice signals to a digital format that can be transferred over the Internet. You make phone calls the same way you would make a phone call from a cable internet access landline phone, and you answer phone calls the same way as well. You just pick up the phone and dial to place a call, or pick it up when it is ringing to answer a call.

How Broadband Phone is Different from Skype, Yahoo, or MSN Messenger

While services like Skype, or other broadband internet providers messengers use the same VoIP technology, you need a computer, and you need to download software to use them. You cannot call or receive calls from a telephone or cell phone email hosting service free with those, and you need speakers, and high speed internet speed check or a headset. For all intents and purposes, broadband phone service is different because it works like a normal telephone.

What You'll Need for Broadband Phone

You must have broadband Internet service like cable, or DSL. You'll need either a regular touch tone telephone (most likely the one you already have), and a VOIP router. You plug your phone into the router instead of the normal wall jack. Another option is to get a special VoIP phone with the router built in. If you get an expandable base VoIP phone, you can have multiple wireless handsets throughout your house.

What You Don't Need for Broadband Phone

You do not need permission from your Internet provider to use broadband phone service. You also don't need permission from your cable or phone company, but you might want to make sure your phone company offers naked DSL (Internet without landline phone), before switching. How you use your Internet service, and who you use for phone service is your business. Your computer does not need to be on, and technically you don't even need a computer for it to work.

Limitations of Broadband Phone

If your power goes out, or you lose your Internet connection, you'll lose your phone service until your power, or Internet service are restored. Most broadband phone companies offer enhanced 911, but you need to make sure to always have your 911 address on file and updated with the broadband phone provider so emergency services don't go to the wrong streamyx tm Also, if you've moved your phone to another location, emergency services will still go to the address you have on file.

Benefits of Broadband Phone Service

Cheap phone service is the number one benefit. Unlimited local and long distance plans rage from eighteen to twenty five dollars per month, or around two hundred dollars for the whole year. Most times you'll get all your extra calling features like call waiting, forwarding, caller ID etc. for free. Landline companies charge for, or only give you a few of these. Virtual phone numbers are another feature of broadband phone. This allows you to have more than one phone number that dial to your phone, even a number in a different area code so those people call you for free. You can take your router or phone with you and connect it anywhere there is a broadband Internet connection.

Ordering Service

Unlike with traditional landline phone, broadband phone is available anywhere you have cable or DSL Internet. If you check availability for a provider, and your town or area code are not listed (such as rural towns) you can still get a phone number from a surrounding town that would normally be a local call. If you do this, make sure your town, and the other town use the same emergency services. You could aslo just try another provider all together. There may be start up costs associated, so look for providers who offer free activation, and equipment. Also look for providers that allow you to keep your existing phone number.

Daymon Hoag is the founder of Phone TV Internet LLC, where you can shop for Broadband Phone Service

Dear reader, TechCrunch owes you an apology. We thought the "104-Year-Old joins Twitter" story last week was Digg bait created by the media. It turns out it was all just old fashioned re-hashed PR. But at least we are apologizing - unlike the many news outlets that ran with this manufactured story.To explain...On May 15 two UK newspapers ran the story about 104 year old woman "Ivy Bean" / @ivybean104 joining Twitter. We correctly called it out as a ruse, but we got the wrong target. What none of those original stories told you, was that poor old Ivy had not joined Twitter just because it was suddenly the talk of the senior citizens home. No. She joined because home PC maintenance company Geek Squad signed her up, propped her up for a photo opportunity - even using her own account to Twitpic the event - and press-released the internet virus out of it. And the media fell for it.