PC manufacturer Lenovo is launching a contract-free mobile broadband service for owners of select ThinkPad laptops. Lenovo Mobile Access targets consumers and business, offering integrated broadband access that is dongle-free and always connected.

"We live in world where it's not only undesirable to be without online access, it's often disruptive to businesses. For that reason we wanted to create a flexible mobile broadband solution that would be unparalleled in its ability to help business users stay connected and working," said ThinkPad business unit vice-president and general manager Dilip Bhatia.

Lenovo claims its broadband option will see download speeds of up to 21 Mb/s. Half an hour of access, with up to 30Mb in data usage, will cost $2. Alternatively, the company will be offering a daily deal of $9 per day, with a 200Mb cap on data transfers. Monthly plans will also be available, with caps of 2GB and 6GB for prices beginning at $45 per month.

The service will be offered in partnership with Macheen, a cloud-based platform offering 3G connectivity to varied devices. It will be available in ThinkPad Classic and ThinkPad Edge computers across Europe and the US as of 1 July. Some Lenovo Mobile Access-enabled laptops have already begun shipping.