100% Free Wireless Internet and help on how to get it - Ask your FreedomPop questions here

[FreedomPop]

This a Sponsored Forum Thread, Officially Approved by Windows Phone Central

At first, dedicated mobile hotspots may not seem like something most smartphone owners have a particular need to invest in. After all, so many businesses offer Wi-Fi and your phone can act as a hotspot in a pinch. However, there's still a compelling case to be made for a dedicated hotspot device and plan, especially when data for them can be ridiculously cheap or free with the right provider. In most cases you need to save your phone's battery for the rest of your day, not to mention spare your mobile monthly data bucket. Whether you need to keep a high speed online connection on your laptop, tablet, smartphone, or all of the above, there's certainly a time and a place for a mobile hotspot, and we may have found the best deal yet.

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FreedomPop is offering free no-contract internet service on their 4G hotspots as a limited-time promo. 2.5 GB is included free for the first month, and all it costs is $20 for the hotspot; they'll even take care of shipping and toss in rollover data and enhanced security.

After the first month, it's just $18 for the 2 GB plan, but keep in mind you can downgrade your plan whenever you want without a penalty and still get 500 MB for free. The hotspot runs on Sprint's network, so you'll want to check to make sure you're in a coverage zone.

Let's take a quick look at the alternatives to see how this offer stacks up. Verizon's cheapest hotspot is $150 off-contract, and their cheapest plan is $50/month for 4GB (which includes $20 for "monthly line access", whatever that's supposed to mean). Meanwhile AT&T charges $150 for their cheapest hotspot and only gives 250MB for $15. Even on Sprint, the network on which FreedomPop operates, you'll pay $35 for GB and their pre-owned hotspots go for $50 off-contract. The closest you'll get is on T-Mobile, which currently offers 1GB for $10/month, and 3GB for $20, and a hotspot that's just a little under $100.

With all of that said, FreedomPop’s $18/month for 2GB and $20 for the hotspot is the best deal you'll get after your free trial.

If you're like us and are constantly surrounded by Wi-Fi devices and need a single, dedicated internet source without worrying about killing your phone battery or monthly data limit, this is a good way to do it. Hit up the link below to take advantage of the FreedomPop promo.

Sign up for FreedomPop's limited-time Photon 500 promotion
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Have a Question? Ask us!! - We're happy to answer your questions about Freedom Pop. Ask them below!

 

[HeyCori]

For those that didn't see it on the front page

Sponsored Post: How do these guys do this? A mobile hotspot for $20 with free high-speed Wi-Fi | Windows Phone Central

 

[Laura Knotek]

Welcome to WPCentral!

That sure looks like a nice plan for folks in the US.

 

[inteller]

Here's the problem. Freedompop 4G coverage is RUBBISH. WiMAX towers in my area have been turned off, greatly diminishing coverage. Freedompop has no recourse for this, won't swap me out for a device that can actually get MODERN 4G LTE coverage. Don't get this Photon crap, you will have a paperweight by 2015 if not sooner.

The other bizarre thing that you can have only one device per email account is just ridiculous. Makes me think they are more interested in collecting email addresses for marketing than actually providing service.

You also need to pay CLOSE attention to your usage. There used to be a statement on Freedompop's website that they would cut you off at 400mb or so to avoid exceeding your 500mb limit. That appears to no longer be the case, and you will go over your limit at which point thye will charge you......OR you can ***** yourself out to various free offers to get back under your limit. A pretty sleezy process...

It is buyer/user beware for this service and a CONSTANT reading of the fine print.

 

[FreedomPop]

Sprint has announced that WiMax will remain active until the end of 2015. You can check out some info here. These devices will continue to work until then. We're hope to have all WiMax users transition over to 3G or LTE devices when this time comes, though we're still working on the plan.

We are working on the ability to have multiple devices under the same account/email. For now, if you do not have multiple emails, there are a few tricks you can do to make it work (such as adding a "." between two letters on your Gmail -- this technically creates different email addresses but they both go into the same inbox).

When your account is set up, you can opt to have your service cut off when you approach your data limit or choose to have service continue on a pay-as-you-go basis (rate of $0.02 per MB).

 

[inteller]

That's not true. I have automatic topup disabled and usage continued without cutting off. I racked up 721mb out of a 500mb plan with no end in site that it was going to cut me off. If I hadn't ******ed myself out to some of the free mb offers I would have been charged. I was never presented an option to choose pay as you go or be cut off....only to disable automatic top up.

I can also tell you that WiMax might be working SOMEWHERE by the end of 2015 but Sprint has been aggressively turning off towers in WiMax areas and leaving maybe one tower in an area. I'd suggest working harder on the plan to get 4G customers LTE devices. Telling us to sign up for the 3G plan or buy a $120 LTE device after we already bought a WiMAX one is NOT the answer.

Finally, you need to offer a Windows Phone for your FreedomPhone offering.

 

[FreedomPop]

Can you PM us the email address associated with your account? We can have a Support Agent make sure everything is set up properly and correct any erroneous charges.

As mentioned, we are working on a plan that will allow current users to transition from their WiMax device to a 3G/LTE capable device when WiMax does shut down. We're still working on the details, but we hope to make as seamless and low-cost as possible.

 

[oditius]

So if I buy one and a year later when it shut off, I have to buy another device?

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 1520, w/AT&T using Tapatalk

 

[inteller]

Yes that is correct. You buy that Photon 500 and it is a ticking time bomb till 4G stops working on it. And from the line they just dropped "low cost" they aren't going to do a swap out.

 

[oditius]

Guess I will pass then.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 1520, w/AT&T using Tapatalk

 

[inteller]

just wait until they lower the price of the LTE spots into the realm of reality.

 

[oditius]

Not that I really need it, there is 10GB of data on my phone, even though I have 3 lines, and only one smartphone. I rarely even get close, but I figured that out might come in handy if the battery on my phone goes dead. This way I can get a few emails or to pass the news that I won't be in touch till I return to civilization again.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 1520, w/AT&T using Tapatalk

 

[inteller]

yeah you don't need this..

 

[etad putta]

Wimax is and has been great in my area for a while. I myself am more interested in their byod phone service. I might soon find a cheap S3 and climb on board with them. They have some really good deals. And yes it would be nice if they had some windows phones, but its not a deal breaker for those of us with an open mind.

 

[inteller]

Want to send out another warning about this company. They don't bill like...oh every other wireless company in the world. If you go over your bandwidth allotment by even 1Mb they apply a charge to you INSTANTLY. Even if you complete free offers during the billing cycle that puts you under your bandwidth allotment IT DOESN'T MATTER they charge you anyways. This is truly mickey mouse stuff here folks and every turn is a "gotcha". They also say in their FAQ that they turn you off within 100Mb of your allocation if you have automatic top up disabled. (If you approach or go over your free data, what happens?) I can now confirm that is absolutely false. "Our system suspends activity if you are within 100MB of your monthly data allotment and your account has a credit balance of less than $2" FALSE! My service was never turned off at 100mb, in fact when I checked my account they had let me run 100Mb OVER. Completing free offers to put you back under does you no good as they have already immediately charged you overages....not waiting to settle at the end of your service cycle like EVERY OTHER COMPANY.

Just avoid this headache.

 

[nCogNeato]

I would be interested in this service if it was available in my area.