Everybody likes to get something for free, and that is precisely how FreedomPop – a company offering data, call and text packages at no cost whatsoever – has managed to generate such a great amount of publicity over the last few months. Last year, it introduced the Android smartphone package that required a one-off $100 payment before offering the free monthly goodies, and now, those on iPhone can take advantage.
When it first arrived in beta last year, it seemed a little too good to be true. Those willing to pony up one hundred bucks for the HTC EVO Design 4G WiMAX (a bit underwhelming, and running on Ice Cream Sandwich, mind), could then take advantage of 200 any time minutes, 500MB of data, and 500 free texts at absolutely no cost.
Now, those on the Apple iPhone who might have given the FreedomPop service a shot can now do so. The 200 minute, 500 SMS message and 500MB of data / month tariff still applies, but there are one or two limitations to the offer.
Of course, if FreedomPop were to just allow all new iPhone owners to jump on board, the company would be completely oversubscribed, sending the infrastructure into meltdown. But if you’re willing to front $350 for a refurbished iPhone 5, or already own an iPhone 4, 4s or 5 compatible with the Sprint network, than you can take full advantage of the freebie without incurring any fee.
The free service is great for infrequent / causal users who aren’t too fussed about owning the latest iPhone, and if you have a spare device lying around collecting dust, then tethering it to FreedomPop’s network would seem a no-brainer.
The company still needs to generate revenue, though, and where FreedomPop really makes its money is through those who wish to use more than the allotted allowance.
The unlimited call / SMS package is only 11 bucks, which is more than fair, but if you want more than the 500MB of data, you’ll have to grab your wallet. Charged at two cents per megabyte, it seems minimal enough, but if you stream a couple of short YouTube clips, you’re already talking in dollars, and although you can buy packs of additional data – 1GB for $10 working up to 5GB for $40 – it could soon become a rather expensive gig.
If you’re data heavy, FreedomPop is probably not the way to go, but if you’re a light a user and don’t want to be paying monthly fees, then you and your old iPhone can take full advantage.
Head over to FreedomPop.com to get started.
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