India's Reliance Communications offers free netbook with contract

It's not the first carrier to hop on the netbook bandwagon, but India's Reliance Communications looks like it could be about to boost those global netbook sales numbers even further, with it announcing that it plans to offer free mobile broadband-equipped netbooks to anyone willing to sign a two-year, $30-a-month contract for its NetConnect service. What's more, while the complete specifics are still a bit light, Reliance has apparently partnered with Intel, Acer, Asus, HCL and Lenovo for the deal, which seems to suggest that you'll be able to get the Atom-based netbook of your choice, or at least choose from a decent enough selection.

[Via GigaOM]

[Kali4 @ Oct 21st 2008 2:51PM]

Can I sign on for just 3 months from the US and still get the netbook?

[htd @ Oct 21st 2008 2:12PM]

you can take advantage of vonage $200(?) rebate deal at bestbuy, buy what ever you want...

[Kali4 @ Oct 21st 2008 2:17PM]

I would rather send my money to India than spend it at Best(worst)Buy.

[justsilhouettes @ Oct 21st 2008 2:16PM]

this will happen in the US at some point.

but it'll be when you pay at&t or verizon or somebody $90/mo for a 5 yr. contract... and the program will fail. because american companies still don't get it.

[Phil Perman @ Oct 21st 2008 2:24PM]

PC world in the UK are doing tonnes of free laptops with mobile broadband, you can get up to £500 off any laptop they have if you go for big enough contracts

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/editorial/get-connected-freelaptops

[DirtyVegas @ Oct 21st 2008 2:33PM]

Sometimes I get the feeling that cell phone carriers in the US are as bad as the oil companies, what with their near similar new-technology throttling tactics.

[iEye @ Oct 21st 2008 2:40PM]

I wonder if in the future we will buy electric cars under this model...

You buy electricity charging on a 3 year contract and get a car for $999...

woo-hoo!

[jungyup lee @ Oct 21st 2008 2:49PM]

in south korea, samsung netbook NC10 is provided in a discount price (599,000 won = about 460 usd) when you subscribe "wibro" by korea telecom. the contract is 18 and 24 months (the price of netbook will be paid monthly divided amount) and also wibro subscription fee is discounted -- 10,000 won (7.5 usd) per month for 1gb use or 19,800 won per month for 30gb use.

[Pravoo @ Oct 21st 2008 2:55PM]

I don't think it works very well in India. Paying every month 30$ (around 1000 Rs+) will not attract many people. Instead of that they should offer other way round. Buy netbook for 15,000 to 20,000 Rs (300/400$) and you will get internet (with whatever download limit) for free for next few months/years.

[vintner @ Oct 22nd 2008 2:18AM]

That's reeking old school. You pay once for a product, but you keep paying for a service. although in seemingly smaller amounts. The point to be noted (fairly obvious to some first world-ers) is that a PC with no connection is not much unlike a printer with no paper. So, it's only logical you focus on the piping, rather than the faucet. Reliance is a business house, and they know what keeps them laughing all the way to the bank.

[Redbeaver @ Oct 21st 2008 3:08PM]

RBC bank had been doing this couple months back. Bring your account from different FI and open one on us and we'll throw in an Eee-PC.

[Chad @ Oct 21st 2008 4:21PM]

Yeah, not much different then Comcast giving you a Wii when you sign up.

[vicky @ Oct 21st 2008 4:32PM]

This will definitely work. Reliance was first company in India to offer free cell phone with contract. That too on CDMA network. It was a huge success. And Rs 1000 per month is not a big deal for target customers who utilize internet in their daily life. Also its small portable, besides Indian love paying in installments.

[H @ Oct 21st 2008 4:48PM]

If this becomes successful, Linux adoption will go up as the volumes are high in India.

[StephenD @ Oct 21st 2008 5:37PM]

Sounds like a good deal to me!

[Mark @ Oct 22nd 2008 1:25AM]

Stupid TRAI keeps holding up 3G, not even letting companies who picked CDMA implement 3G when they technically can, while GSM/WCDMA carriers need additional spectrum.

Reliance could implement EV-DO on their existing spectrum (the entire point of CDMA), but the govt won't let them so the incumbent Airtel and Vodafone don't have competition.

Anyway,