FreedomPop Freedom Phone? Update from San Francisco Bay Area

Summary

Pros

• Works as advertised
• FreedomPop now has access to both Sprint and Clearwire networks

Cons

• Many extra fees
• Limited options for devices
• Apparent contrast between advertised philosophy and actual practices
• Company still does not seem to be at same level as competitors

O RLY?

Introduction

I have been using FreedomPop for three months now, and while there are both good and bad things about the devices and company, my overall impression is a negative one. This is true for both the Freedom Hub Burst (home internet) and Freedom Sleeve Rocket (for the 4th Gen iPod). I am therefore skeptical regarding FreedomPop's upcoming offering of a Freedom Phone, and will go over my reasons below.

Free 500 MB, 200 min, and unlimted texts per month; too good to be true?

Discussion

I had really high hopes for FreedomPop. And I will admit, they seem to follow the letter--if not the spirit--of their claims. However, I am generally disappointed with the company and devices.

For example, while they claim to want to revolutionize the mobile internet space, they seem to be using a lot of tactics to nickle and dime users. There are a lot of extra fees associated with FreedomPop that I don't like. Usage alerts for $2.99/month? Speed Plus for $3.99/month? They even had a monthly maintenance fee of $0.99/month if you did not use at least 5MB per month that they only recently removed.

On a related note, mobile devices are refundable for up to a year, but home internet devices are only refundable in the first 30 days. I feel that there is so much advertisement regarding a year-long return policy and FreedomPop's own rebel image, that it's so easy to not check the fine print as you would with 'big bad corporations.'

Also, I have used both FreedomPop's home and mobile internet devices, and while they were OK, they weren't spectacular, and I would hesitate to even call them good. There was just so many problems, with connectivity issues, overheating, short battery life, etc., that I ended up returning what devices I could, and canceling my account

Doesn't seem to be lot of difference from a UI perspective. FreedomPop had a great idea to essentially turn an iPod into an iPhone that unfortunately didn't work for me.

Conclusion

Based on the FreedomPop coverage map, and the fact that I live in a world-class city next to Silicon Valley, I suspect that problems I experienced with FreedomPop products were not strictly due to network or connectivity issues. The company's stated philosophy also seems to clash with many of their practices, and as stated

In the end, I can neither recommend FreedomPop as a company nor as a service provider, and if you get the Freedom Phone, my advice is to be sure to save the packaging in case you need to return it.

I'm a big fan of new ideas and technology, but FreedomPop doesn't seem to be at the level of other similar companies at this time. Stick with traditional home internet offerings, or look into options such as Virgin Mobile, Republic Wireless, or Ting. 

Ting Coupon Code and Update: Coverage, Billing, Customer Service

Click here for coupon code

Summary

Pros

• Fantastic, live customer service via phone and email
• Very accurate and thorough billing reports

Cons

• Sprint network
• Limited number of phones

iPhone on the way!

Introduction

I have been using Ting for four months now in both San Francisco and Los Angeles, and am ridiculously happy with the company and service thus far.

Ting! No problems with coverage in San Francisco...

...or Los Angeles!

Discussion

Ting's coverage is the same as Sprint, so if you can get Sprint coverage, you are covered with Ting. Billing is straightforward; Ting has simplified things even more, so instead of estimating your usage and getting billed more or getting a refund depending on the month, Ting now just bills everyone at the end of the month based on usage.

The billing aspect is one of the few things I have to complain about--Ting offers a "live" billing view via it's dashboard, which is more of an estimate. Final bills are completely accurate, but just wait for a few days after the end of your billing cycle, and don't worry too much about what is listed on the dashboard. If there is a problem, definitely call to let them know, and they will take care of it right away.

Customer support is awesome: Ting's call center is open M-F from 8 am - 8 pm EST, is based in Canada (so I was able to get my questions answered on 4th of July). Ting prides itself on answering calls with a live person within a few rings, and I have experienced this personally many times. This is in contrast to other similar companies, that only offer support via email, e.g. Republic Wireless or FreedomPop.

The final thing I will mention is that Ting still only carries a limited number of phones, and these phones are of the Sprint variety. This is that is actually important to note, since Sprint disables the SIM slot on many world phones (essentially forcing you to use their service when traveling abroad). This is not true of the iPhone due to Apple's own restrictions on how carriers could modify their devices, but otherwise if you travel abroad, you may be better off getting a cheap phone with a SIM card slot to use.

I personally don't care about the iPhone, but if it's something you want, be aware Ting doesn't carry it yet.

Conclusion

I keep blathering on about how great Ting is, but it is truly a great company. It is refreshing to find a company that is so responsive to their customers, and goes above and beyond what they say they will do. They have fun giveaways and events frequently posted on their blog and Facebook, and I would recommend checking them out for yourselves.

Seems too good to be true, but, from my experience, Ting has gone above and beyond to make my experience with them as great as possible.

Click here for coupon code

Using Virgin Mobile Mobile Broadband in San Francisco

Summary

Pros

• "Unlimited" 4G data usage
• No contract
• Cheap, easy-to-use devices

Cons

• Limited 3G data usage
• Sprint coverage
• Two options for mobile broadband: USB stick, or mobile hotspot

FYI, Virgin America and Virgin Mobile are part of the same company (Virgin Group Ltd.)

Introduction

If you're looking for no contract phone choices, companies like Virgin Mobile and Boost Mobile (and increasingly Ting!) are well-known choices. However, I Virgin Mobile's offer of "unlimited" 4G mobile broadband had me considering if this could be a viable option for my internet requirements both at home and on the move.

A big drawback of most mobile broadband solutions is that there is a limit on how much data you can use each month (vs. unlimited home internet that is available in the San Francisco Bay Area). For Virgin Mobile, you can choose to pay for a variety of options depending on your usage, (200 MB, 2 GB, or 5 GB per month of 3G). However, a nice feature is that you can get unlimited 4G connectivity, with the caveat that usage over 10 GB per month will be throttled.

Virgin Mobile coverage map for San Francisco. 3G/4G WiMAX in blue, 3G alone in orange.

Discussion

After checking to ensure that I lived in a 4G area, I ordered a U600 (a USB mobile hotspot), which came quickly in two days with free shipping. Set-up and activation were easy, and the device has two lights: one for 3G, one for 4G, so you know what network you're connected to.

A USB mobile hotspot, similar to what Virgin Mobile offers.

A big issue right away was that I was not able to connect to the 4G network. After a call to Virgin Mobile, I discovered two things. First, though I knew Virgin Mobile used the Sprint network, cell phones connect to the 4G LTE network, mobile broadband devices connect to the 4G WiMAX network. Secondly, I lived in an area with Fair 4G WiMAX coverage, not Best 4G WiMAX coverage (light blue vs. dark blue). Thus, I was unable to get 4G coverage indoors (and therefore was unable to easily take advantage of Virgin Mobile's unlimited 4G offer.

Note that for 4G data, there is two categories: "Best" and "Fair." If you live in a "Fair" area, you will only get 4G data outside your home/building :(

Everything else worked great--I was able to track my usage through my Virgin Mobile account, the data usage seemed to be in order, and speeds were good. While all the basics worked fine, I ultimately returned the device because I was not able to get unlimted 4G.

Conclusion

If you live in an area with "Best" 4G WiMAX, I recommend looking into Virgin Mobile Mobile Broadband as a supplement (and potential replacement) for your home and mobile internet.

Virgin Mobile didn't work for me where I'm living, but I think it's a great service. I'd also like to acknowledge the work that CEO Richard Branson is doing. Though he's a billionaire, he's no means the richest man around, yet he's developed Virgin Mobile, Virgin America, and a ton of other companies and businesses. Compared to a lot of other wealthy individuals, he seems to be driven to create something of value in the world for the public. I admit I admire the man, and hope he keeps doing what he's doing.

Virgin Mobile CEO, Sir Richard Branson, out on the water.

"Sir" Branson again.

Credit card authorized user - Accumulate reward points and cash back faster!

Summary

Pros

• No need to open multiple/redundant lines of credit
• All users can build credit history/score
• Spending by different users can be used to accumulate points/cash back on a single account

Cons

• Primary account holder is liable for all charges
• Can negatively impact all users' credit history/score
• Moral hazard; authorized users are not ultimately responsible for charges

Plastic > Paper for spender ROI

Introduction

The reason I began looking into adding authorized users on my credit card account was because Costco only accepts American Express credit cards, yet doesn't allow non-members to pay for purchases. Thus, even if I'm standing next to my mom at the checkout, they won't allow me to pay for our purchases (and thus get the reward points/cash). Since my mom doesn't have an American Express card, she instead has to pay by debit card (limited rewards, if any), or cash.

Where there's a will, there's a way, and I found out that it is possible to add authorized users to my credit card accounts. Each user will get their own card with their name on it, and will not necessarily have to impact their own credit score by applying/carrying for too many credit cards since only I will be responsible for the balance.

Costco only accept American Express, PIN-based debit cards, Costco cards, cash, checks, and EBT cards, and only members may pay for items. This policy is what prompted my research into authorized users.

Discussion

Credit cards have allowed primary account holders to add authorized users for quite some time. In theory it sounds like a great idea: you can allow the people you trust to help you earn rewards, and the credit card companies get more revenue from all this spending.

Before adding an authorized user, I cannot stress enough how important it is that you trust this person. At worst, be prepared to cover all bills he or she might run up on your account.

Other reasons to add an authorized user to your account is to help them (re)build their credit—if FICO will also track this account under the authorized user if they provide their social security number when you add them to your credit card account. And, for younger users, it may be a good way to give them access to emergency funds.

On these same topics, there are quite a lot of reasons why adding authorized users to your credit cards can be a bad idea. While everyone's credit can be built up by responsible credit card usage, one person's mistake can lower everyone's credit. Similarly, mixing money with friends and family can be a disaster waiting to happen when relationships change, or may even be the trigger itself to those changes. My advice is to put a limit on the amount your authorized users can spend (ask your credit card comapny to do this)

Conclusion

There's a lot of pros and cons with adding authorized users to your credit card account. Think long and hard to see if the rewards outweigh the risk.

As much as I dislike not giving a clear recommendation, this is a situation that really will depend on each individual situation.

FreedomPop Hub Burst - Free Broadband?

FreedomPop Hub Burst

Summary

Pros

• ~$100 for the router, 1 GB free data per month
• Potential to earn more free data by completing referrals
• No contract; month-to-month billing

Cons

• FreedomPop currently uses the Clearwire network
• Seem to be using up data very quickly
• Must purchase FreedomPop devices for service

The FreedomPop homepage.

Introduction

Below are some of my general experiences with FreedomPop. More detailed reviews will be published in upcoming articles.

Wild FreedomPop Appeared!

Discussion

FreedomPop is a MVNO that operates on the Clearwire network (plans to expand to the Sprint network are set for sometime in 2013). It offers users either home or mobile internet; FreedomPop requires separate accounts with separate credit cards are required for each device in order to monitor usage for each device.

Home Internet, I choose you!

Mobile users can get 500 MB/month free, while home users get 1 GB/month free. Extra data is billed on a per megabit basis, with prices varying depending on the type of service and plan you end up getting.

I applaud the idea behind FreedomPop, but I definitely think that there is room for improvement. Trying to connect to the Clearwire network is extremely frustrating; I need to stand next to the window or outdoors to even get a weak signal. Also, I appear to be using data at an alarming rate: at this pace, the total will definitely be more than what the free amount is. I will do a side-by-side comparison, visiting the same websites on my mobile phone first on Ting, then on FreedomPop, to get some good comparative data.

Conclusion

FreedomPop definitely has an interesting idea in offering internet as a freemium service. I think it works great as a way to supplement my work phone—more details to follow in future articles—but because FreedomPop currently uses the Clearwire network, and my experiments seem to indicate rapid data usage, I can't recommend it at this time. I'll continue to measure my data usage and post an update when it becomes available.

My data usage on FreedomPop. Good thing I received my router late in the month: after only a three days of light usage (a few minutes of website browsing and emailing each day, no streaming videos or music), I've used up 147 MB. At this rate, I'd reach the 1GB limit on free data in 20.4 days.

FreedomPop - free internet?

Summary

Pros

• Free/relatively cheap data
• Potential to earn more free data by completing referrals
• No contract; month-to-month billing

Cons

• FreedomPop currently uses the Clearwire network
• Seem to be using up data very quickly
• Must purchase FreedomPop devices for service

The FreedomPop homepage.

Introduction

Below are some of my general experiences with FreedomPop. More detailed reviews will be published in upcoming articles.

Wild FreedomPop Appeared!

Discussion

FreedomPop is a MVNO that operates on the Clearwire network (plans to expand to the Sprint network are set for sometime in 2013). It offers users either home or mobile internet; FreedomPop requires separate accounts with separate credit cards are required for each device in order to monitor usage for each device.

Home Internet, I choose you!

Mobile users can get 500 MB/month free, while home users get 1 GB/month free. Extra data is billed on a per megabit basis, with prices varying depending on the type of service and plan you end up getting.

I applaud the idea behind FreedomPop, but I definitely think that there is room for improvement. Trying to connect to the Clearwire network is extremely frustrating; I need to stand next to the window or outdoors to even get a weak signal. Also, I appear to be using data at an alarming rate: at this pace, the total will definitely be more than what the free amount is. I will do a side-by-side comparison, visiting the same websites on my mobile phone first on Ting, then on FreedomPop, to get some good comparative data.

Conclusion

FreedomPop definitely has an interesting idea in offering internet as a freemium service. I think it works great as a way to supplement my work phone—more details to follow in future articles—but because FreedomPop currently uses the Clearwire network, and my experiments seem to indicate rapid data usage, I can't recommend it at this time. I'll continue to measure my data usage and post an update when it becomes available.

My data usage on FreedomPop. Good thing I received my router late in the month: after only a three days of light usage (a few minutes of website browsing and emailing each day, no streaming videos or music), I've used up 147 MB. At this rate, I'd reach the 1GB limit on free data in 20.4 days.

Notes

Ting vs. T-Mobile, $25 credit

Referral code for $25 credit

Summary

Pros

• Relatively cheap minutes/texts with roaming
• Sprint coverage
• Latest Android phones, along with basic phones, wifi hotspots, etc. + BYO(S)D
• No contract; month-to-month billing

Cons

• Relatively expensive data with no roaming
• Sprint coverage
• No non-android phones (iPhone, Windows, Blackberry, etc.), only Sprint phones
• Phones priced at full retail

Referral code for $25 credit

The Ting homepage.

Introduction

Thinking about Ting? Below are my personal experiences with this cellular service provider.

A few months ago, my family and I were looking to save money (who isn't?), and a notable re-occurring monthly expense for us was our cell phone bill. By switching from T-Mobile to Ting, my family and I have gone from paying $170/month to $50/month ($39/month before taxes/fees; the San Francisco Local Access Tax alone was $17!).

Ting monthly plans. Note that I've set minutes, text, and data to 0/$0. Ting allows users to set whatever amount they want, and will either bill them or refund them accordingly, with no penalties or overages!

Discussion

Ting is a MVNO that operates on the Sprint Network. It allows for voice/text roaming, but no data roaming as of the writing of this article. It bills users $6/line, and beyond that, minutes, texts, and data are billed on a pay-as-you-go basis. I like the dashboard and app that Ting has to track your usage, and Ting prides itself on having real people answer your phone calls: no automated phone systems or menus, but a real (Canadian) staffer that picks up your calls, usually within a few rings.

The Ting Dashboard.

Minutes and texts are very cheap, and the biggest concern that people often have is the cost and lack of roaming for data. However, as my family and I live in San Francisco, and work in the San Francisco Bay Area, coverage is not a concern for us, and we ues the plethora of WiFi spots all around us. In fact, in our experience the voice quality has been much better on Ting/Sprint than T-Mobile. Plus, while the GSM/TDMA that T-Mobile uses is the global standard, the CDMA that Ting/Sprint is more common in the United States.

I would be remiss if I did not point out that Ting—like many other MVNO's—requires you to pay for the phone upfront, and they currently do not carry iPhones, Windows phones, Blackberries, etcetera; however, Ting is actively working on expanding their line-up. Additionally, there are no free evening/weekend minutes, though this can be circumvented by using a VoIP service/app like Google Voice plus home WiFi.

Conclusion

In the end, Ting worked for my family and I, and I recommend spending a few minutes to do a cost-benefit analysis and see if it will work for you. I believe that if you live in a large city, and don't mind waiting to use WiFi to download/upload large items and make long calls over VoIP, Ting will work for you as well.

If you use my referral code with Ting, you and I will each get $25 in credit (a sign of the Ting mentality; also, check out their facebook page for Caption Friday's and giveaways!). Be sure you order directly after clicking the referral code to ensure we both get credit.

Google Voice. Free calls/texts in the United States and Canada, Google Voice also comes in app form.

Notes

BYOD/BYO(S)D: Bring Your Own Device/Bring Your Own Sprint Device

WiFi: WLAN, or Wireless Local Area Network

MVNO: Mobile Virtual Network Operator

GSM/TDMA: Global System for Mobile Communications/Time Division Multiple Access

CDMA: Code Division Multiple Access

VoIP: Voice Over Internet Protocol

Referral code for $25 in credit