Want a free laptop with that phone?

As mobile operators start giving away devices other than cellphones, experts say, the industry is entering a new phase. The IHT reports.

"Like most other operators in Europe, Orange dangles a piece of free hardware in exchange for a two-year service contract. But this time, to win customers, Orange is including a laptop computer, not a mobile phone.

"As the European market gets more saturated, operators are looking at other drivers from a connection standpoint," said Carolina Milanesi, director of mobile devices at Gartner in London. "The laptop subsidies reflect the growing importance of mobile broadband to the business."

emily | 8:05 AM | News, Buzz |
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