Orange teams with Asus and HP for mobile broadband

Orange is working with HP and Asus to release a range of connected' laptop packages for the business and consumer markets.

The bundled packages will all offer laptops with mobile broadband for a fixed monthly rate and is part of a strategy in which Orange pledged to evolve' the communications market.

Small and medium business customers will be offered three new packages which range from 35 to 45 per month and all have a laptop and mobile connection.

The 35 per month package will offer a HP 6730s Laptop with an Intel Celeron processor while 40 package will get the same laptop with an upgraded Intel Core 2 Duo processor. The 45 bundle has a HP 6730b laptop, also with Intel 2 Core duo processing power.

The two cheapest packages will offer an Option ICON 225 dongle while the 45 package offers an Orange SIM modem embedded into the laptop. All will carry Microsoft Windows Vista.

All will include a Business Everywhere Unlimited' bundle which will have an unlimited' data allowance (although subjected to a 5GB fair use policy) and 500 free Wi-Fi minutes which can be used in various hotspots. However, users will need to sign a 24-month contract.