Get Online@Home scheme

[scrobbitty]

If anyone is in need of a computer or laptop, I have just spotted this latest scheme in conjunction with Microsoft - it may or may not be of any use to you, but you may know of someone who could benefit.

disabilityaction.org/news/i...

[SecondLife]

I spotted this as well and went to the website but could not find the ones mentioned in the article. Perhaps someone else has better eyesight than me

[Gordon57 in reply to SecondLife]

When you go to the main website page you tick the box if you qualify for the benefits reduction to get the £99 PC for example.

To get the even lower prices you click the 'special offer' at the top, which takes you into the Internet discount page, where it gives a few simple checkboxes to find the price then refers you to an 0800 number to order.

[Gordon57]

I was reading about this yesterday. The main site is at getonlineathome.org/ for those who want to know more. It's aimed at providing someone's first computer, with an Internet connection, at a low price.

They use various recycling schemes (need I mention that Remploy is in there...?) as a source of ex company computers that are refurbished to a basic standard and come complete with a monitor, keyboard and mouse, plus 12 months warranty.

For a PC you could expect a minimum of 1Gb RAM, 60Gb hard drive, CD Drive and a 15" monitor with Windows 7 installed and some other software they throw in. A laptop would be WiFi enabled and to a similar spec. The PC's basic price is £149, a laptop is £179.

If you get qualifying benefits then these prices come down to £99 for a PC or £149 for a laptop. Throughout June they have a further offer, if you take a new Broadband contract through them they will give a further £75 discount, so you could get the PC for only £24 or a laptop for £74 if you already qualify under the benefits discount.

As always, there are catches. The most obvious ones I've seen is that you order the PC and broadband. You have to clear credit checks then have the broadband installed and confirmed as working, they will then despatch the PC within 28 days. I'd love to see an installer trying to connect the Internet without a PC! AND you also lose the value of the waiting days through paying for the broadband that you can't even use.

I've no connection with the company making the offer, just trying to pass on what is available as it could be useful to friends or relatives of people on here.

[scrobbitty in reply to Gordon57]

Nicely explained, Gordon

[Hidden in reply to Gordon57]

Thanks Gordon

[chrissie53]

I looked into this last year, and acutally phoned up to ask them some questions, the young lad was very nice and did point out that they where just refurbished laptops and towers, with a low memory usage,, not much use if you want to do lots on it,,,basically for beginers as he said,,,so i poo pooed the idea and saved up and bought new one,,,,

[Scars1]

so you have to go online to order your first computer.. makes sense.

[Gordon57 in reply to Scars1]

There's an 0800 number if you're getting Internet too, but you have to go online to read about it all - that figures...

[KingoftheCocktails]

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM????????????????????

Richard