[holmgren]

I finally got an email that they are rolling out their "beta" service here. They only have one phone available, the HTC EVO. It's $100 and the service can be actually free. I did sign up for the $2.49 per month voicemail service. I get 200 minutes voice, 500mb data and I forget how many text messages. They have more generous plans for $8 and $11 a month. I'll post an update when I actually get the phone and use it. I'm not going to cancel my Verizon service until I try this for a month or so.

[logline]

Sounds interesting, but when I go to their site, it never shows me what is involved. No details. Nobody just gives you free internet or free cell phone service. What's the catch?

(also, when I click on "plans" in the drop down menu, the website gives an error message... not good)

[holmgren]

I just went there and put in my zip and an email I hadn't used before and then my address and it said they were all sold out. The same thing happened when I tried to get a phone for my husband after I had gotten one for me. They evidently only sell one per email address (that they have on file) during their beta phase (I'm just guessing about this). Anyway, I waited a couple of days and tried again and then I was able to get an account for him. It seems like once you put an email address in, you're on their waiting list. Try waiting a few days and try again.

[holmgren]

As for "what's the catch"? I googled them before and evidently they make their money on the "extras" they get you to sign up for. Like voicemail and extra data, etc. Also, the free plan is not enough for everyone. They are also not subsidizing the phone for you. You're paying the actual cost of this older phone.

The company is active in other cities, you can read the reviews. My cell phone needs are pretty simple and it's worth a shot if I can get out from under my $70/month Verizon bill.

[MSchu]

this isn't thinly veiled spam is it?

[logline]

Originally Posted by MSchu

this isn't thinly veiled spam is it?

It looks like the company is real, but they are SUPER sketchy:
FreedomPop’s Free Wireless Would Be Cool If It Wasn’t So Shady | TIME.com

Read some of the users' experiences in the comments below the article (as if the article wasn't bad enough by itself!)

[WestieJeff]

It's possible, but better crafted than most we get around here!

Originally Posted by MSchu

this isn't thinly veiled spam is it?

[demoknite]

Originally Posted by logline

It looks like the company is real, but they are SUPER sketchy:
FreedomPop’s Free Wireless Would Be Cool If It Wasn’t So Shady | TIME.com

Read some of the users' experiences in the comments below the article (as if the article wasn't bad enough by itself!)

So it's like they Ryanair of wireless.

[Buzz123]

My cellular needs are also limited, so my wife and I each have a Go Phone account with AT&T. Every three months we buy $25.00 worth of minutes which are carried over as long as you don't let the three month window expire. We set up an automatic pay so they just add another $25 worth every three months. You pay 10 cents per minute for calls and 20 cents per text. You can do other increments, but $25/3 months is the lowest, and I believe if you pay $100 it's for a whole year. If you use up all your minutes you can renew anytime. We rarely call anyone or text so we never run out. We have the opposite problem - how to use up our minutes. Since I tend to talk longer on long distance calls, I try to use one of the phones for calling relatives, etc.

[C_A_Braun]

I signed up for Freedompop perhaps 6 weeks ago when they became available in LA. Essentially the way they get by so cheap is that your voice calls are all over your data connection (VOIP). If you already have a smart phone and have ever used skype for instance to make a call, that is how your phone calls will work. If you are near a WiFi signal, perhaps in your house or at McDonalds or something than your calls will probably be OK. But when you get away from a WiFi signal your calls go over the carrier's 3G network and will be very laggy.

After seeing a few reviews on youtube of people putting their phone to the test, I called them and cancelled my order. If I was a shut in and never left the house, it would be great. But the horrible call quality and the phone battery lasting less than 30 minutes when fully charged on the horrible phone was just too much for me.

I will say that their customer service was great. I was actually double billed initially and they cleared that right up and then they were very good about canceling the service on the phone that I did order and issuing a full refund.

Maybe someday it will be a good option for me, but not today.