OK - so it's not 100% free but local 3G carrier, Vodafone, is giving away a Dell Inspiron Mini 9 netbook for $0 upfront on a $69.95 per month plan, including 5GB of Mobile Broadband data per month on a 24 month contract.

The Mini 9 is currently selling on the Australian Dell site for $549 (about $360USD) and has a pretty decent spec sheet that weighs in at only 1.035kg with Windows XP, a glossy 8.9 inch LED display, 1.3 mega pixel webcam, memory card reader, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 16GB solid state drive (SSD) storage.

The real deal clincher is that the Mini 9 has a built-in 3G modem that Vodafone reckons "delivers increased battery life and network reception, compared to using a USB modem". While most 3G modems are pretty small, they are yet another gadget to pack. Having integrated 3G with a network unlocked netbook makes for a pretty nifty package.

As always, there are exit fees if you choose to back out before the 24 month contract is up. The Early Exit Fee is $55 ($25 5GB mobile broadband plan plus $30 for Netbook) for each month remaining on contract.

 Mobile Broadband • Vodafone