[Halcyon]

Wireless Internet is all about being able to use the Internet with computers without the computer having to be physically linked to the Phoneline socket. The modem itself is however, plugged into the wall socket.

Lets take NTL broadband as an example.

You have your NTL cable modem. This device is plugged in at the wall and this is your link with the outside world.

You then have to buy a Wireless router which will plug into the cable modem. A wireless router costs about £45
So we have the internet cable modem going into the Wireless router.
The router acts as a broadcasting hub to handle all your computers using it and sending the data wirelessly to the computers attached to it.

So your laptop that you intend to buy would need to be wireless ready.
A lot of laptops will have Centrino technology which will have built in Wireless capabilitites.

It is then a simple task of enabling networking on your laptop and the router picking up the signal. Using a router means that you can also add other computers to the network too, both wired or wirelessly.

There is no additional cost to your ISP, using wireless or wired, it doesnt change a thing.