FreedomPop expands service to include free voice -- but not for iOS yet
Bargain hunters in the iOS world probably already know about FreedomPop. It's the company that provides 500 MB of free data every month to customers using mobile hotspots, USB dongles or a sleeve that fits the iPod touch. Now the company is going a bit further by adding 200 free voice minutes and unlimited texting to the mix, although there won't be a way for iOS users to take advantage of Freedom Pop's generosity -- yet.
FreedomPop is taking pre-orders on its website now, but won't actually go live with the service until August or September. For those who love to talk on the phone, the company will offer a $10 monthly unlimited voice calling plan. All calls on the devices will be internet calls, except for 911 calls that are made using traditional cellular networks.
To go ultracheap, FreedomPop will be offering the service only on high-quality refurbished WiMax-capable devices like the Android-based Galaxy SII and Evo 4G. Those devices will be available for less than $200 without a contract. Customers with phones that operate on the Sprint network (such as Samsung's Galaxy S4) will find that their phones will work with FreedomPop's service.
The way the company is able to route calls through its data network is by tweaking the Android dialer. We can only hope that FreedomPop is able to provide the same ability to iOS devices through an app soon, even if it's only on jailbroken devices.
Oh, and by the way -- if you're wondering how FreedomPop makes money by giving away free service, it's through the sales of data devices and through add-on services.
