The 'free phone' era in Ireland has begun

And it's about time. Vodafone leads the way, with a whopping 18 mobiles 'from free' with a monthly contract (including Motorola's K1, left). 3 Ireland comes next with 11 phones 'from free' and then O2, with four 'from free models'. This has been the norm in Britain for years and is a sign that ordinary competition is arriving in Ireland.