Difficulty Purchasing A Second Dell Mini 9

[agatha]

Hi
If you buy a netbook from Dell and then sign on to Vodafone broadband, there is nothing stopping you buying a second netbook from Dell, if that is what you want. Alas in the Republic of Ireland, if you buy a mini 9 from Vodaphone, and wish to buy a seond one you can't !! To clarify, in the Republic, you have to pay 299 euro for the pleasure of owning a mini 9, as opposed to the UK where Vodafone are apparently giving the damn things away for nothing. The crazy thing is that I'm prepared to give Vodafone another 299 euro for the pleasure of having a second netbook, but Vodafone don't want my money !! In case you think, I have lost it altogether, my reason for wanting a second netbook is for back up purposes, so that when one netbook is in for service or repairs, I don't have to lose internet connection, which would be very inconvenient and costly to my business. I contacted Dell with the view of purchasing from them "a mini 9 with built in broadband from Vodafone", only to be told that they don't sell this product to the public, it is exclusive to Vodafone. No wonder the economy is in the state it is, when a customer wishing to buy a product, can't.
Can anyone see a way around this dilemma ?
Agatha

[vulcanpilot]

Hi
If you buy a netbook from Dell and then sign on to Vodafone broadband, there is nothing stopping you buying a second netbook from Dell, if that is what you want. Alas in the Republic of Ireland, if you buy a mini 9 from Vodaphone, and wish to buy a seond one you can't !! To clarify, in the Republic, you have to pay 299 euro for the pleasure of owning a mini 9, as opposed to the UK where Vodafone are apparently giving the damn things away for nothing. The crazy thing is that I'm prepared to give Vodafone another 299 euro for the pleasure of having a second netbook, but Vodafone don't want my money !! In case you think, I have lost it altogether, my reason for wanting a second netbook is for back up purposes, so that when one netbook is in for service or repairs, I don't have to lose internet connection, which would be very inconvenient and costly to my business. I contacted Dell with the view of purchasing from them "a mini 9 with built in broadband from Vodafone", only to be told that they don't sell this product to the public, it is exclusive to Vodafone. No wonder the economy is in the state it is, when a customer wishing to buy a product, can't.
Can anyone see a way around this dilemma ?
Agatha

Buy a standard Dell Mini-9 and add in the 5530 HSDPA card and run either the Dell Connections software or the Vodafone software. The 5530 is available as an option from Dell, but you'll need to do a search as it doesn't appear on the customisation for the Mini-9

From the research I have done (looking at the HMM for the Mini-9 and Mini-10), all Mini-9's are fitted with the SIM card slot, and it appears to be a breeze to add in the 5530 card. Not bought one myself yet as I'm toying with getting either a Mini-10 or Samsung NC10.

Be interested to know how you get on.

[Retired-Reidar]

Hi Agatha

How frustrating, for a change a customer begging to spend, really an assett I say,

Although I haven't got any jurisdiction over Vodafone Ireland (gosh I sound like an agent) I'd say Valcan's idea is spot on and probably the best way to go about this. Had it been Vodafone UK then we'd have granted two seperate contracts under one account.

Thanks

Reidar

eForum Team

[agatha]

Buy a standard Dell Mini-9 and add in the 5530 HSDPA card and run either the Dell Connections software or the Vodafone software. The 5530 is available as an option from Dell, but you'll need to do a search as it doesn't appear on the customisation for the Mini-9

From the research I have done (looking at the HMM for the Mini-9 and Mini-10), all Mini-9's are fitted with the SIM card slot, and it appears to be a breeze to add in the 5530 card. Not bought one myself yet as I'm toying with getting either a Mini-10 or Samsung NC10.

Be interested to know how you get on.

Hi Mr vulcanpilot,
Eventually after many emails and letters, I eventually got a reply from a "post-paid person" in Vodafone (their titles are something else), stating that vodafone have a one netbook per account policy) so I went out and purchased a Samsung NC 10, a far superior netbook to the mini 9.
Love,
Agatha