BT bundles 'free' 3g access with fixed broadband

BT is bundling 1GB mobile access with its home fixed-line broadband in what it says is the cheapest combined package in Britain.

BT Total Broadband’s Option 1 customers, with fixed access of up to 8Mbits/sec, will pay £15.65 a month (£7.79 for the first three months) plus a one-off charge of £49.95 for a HSDPA USB dongle modem.

The company says that works out at 308.08 over 18 months, compared with £528.48 with Orange and £435.00 with Virgin Media for a similar package.

Nick Rawlings, director of mobile propositions, said existing BT Total Broadband users can get mobile access by purchasing the dongle. He said netbooks and notebooks with built-in 3g connectivity might be supported at a later date but owners could still use the service if they buy a dongle.

He pointed out that there are advantages to have the service linked to a particular dongle. "It means, for instance, if you have a daughter at college you can give her the dongle to keep in touch by email."

Customers who exceed the the 1GB limit have the choice of paying 4p per MB, which works out at £40 a GB, or paying £10 for another 1GB, or £15 for 3GB.

Rawlings said customers also get access to BT Openzone and BT Fon Wifi hotspots, and bundled software always offers them the best connection option.

The same offer is open to BT Option 2 customers; Option 3 customers are charged just £9.95 for the modem. All deals are subject to an 18-month contract. Users of other broadband services can buy 18 months worth of 1GB-a-month access for £129.99 including the modem.