FreedomPop offers several options for customers that want cheap or even free voice, text, and data plans for smartphones, tablets, or other devices.

Now the company is launching a new plan that offers unlimited service for just $5 per month.

What’s the catch? Your devices will only work when they’re connected to WiFi. But FreedomPop says all you need to do is install a free app on your Android device to automatically connect to any of 10 million hotspots in the United States.

freedompop s4

Clearly this plan isn’t for everyone. While FreedomPop says it’s partnering with a number of WiFi providers including Boingo to provide coverage, if you wander outside of a hotspot for a moment while you’re on the phone your call will drop… and you won’t be able to receive calls until you’re back online.

The company is positioning its nationwide WiFi network as a cheap alternative to 4G LTE networks. While the service will likely be far less reliable, it’s also far less expensive: you typically have to pay $50 or more per month for unlimited talk, text, and data on a cellular network. FreedomPop’s service will cost one tenth as much.

If you already have a smartphone plan and want to get a second device online, this could be a cheap alternative. Or if you’re cool with essentially letting all of your calls go to voicemail when you’re not online, I suppose paying $60 per year could look a lot better than paying $600 or more.

FreedomPop says its WiFi ubiquity approaches 99 percent in urban areas, and your $5 per month pays for access to all those networks (you won’t have to sign up for Boingo, for example). But if you live in more rural areas, this sort of service probably won’t work as well… unless you want to treat your smartphone as a home phone.

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11 replies on “FreedomPop’s $5 phone plans work on 10 million WiFi hotspots”

  1. Is it $5 unlimited hotspot for “1” phone/device or for all devices on your account ?

  2. I’d be in for this only because I already have a work phone that is my primary phone. However I have an older phone number collecting dust that has most of my old life on it that I don’t want to give up. It is tied to a flip phone.
    My only problem with this deal is that I don’t have a Sprint phone sitting around either, and don’t want to buy one of theirs

  3. So basically it is like Google voice/hangouts except it charges for it. If they don’t charge for international calls it might fill a niche but otherwise just install Google’s FREE option.

    1. Uh… what? You get guaranteed 10 million wifi hotspots for you to use internet/calling with. Google Voice/Hangout relies that you actually have internet connection. How is this the same?

      1. they way i read it is u can use it at many wifi hotspots all over the country, maybe that 5 gets you some but i can pull into McDonalds, burger-king, wendys for free and use my google voice and they are in better location i am sure than most of these. Or it you are into irony buy the hotspot ($40) they have and use some of the free 500mb per month cell service wifi which has even better location to use google voice anywere you can get cell service.

        1. Yeah, I understand that this isn’t the best plan, I have one of their $70 phones I use as hotspot that comes with 1gb data for 3g/4g plans. I’m just a little confused because you were comparing two different things in your original post.

    2. Basically you are paying for wifi hotspot access. I’m not sure how much of the wifi network is made up of just free hotspots like mcd though.

  4. There are a number of VOIP apps for Android phones. I have one (can’t remember the name) that cost about $4 as a one time fee. I have it running on an old phone I had and use it as my home phone. I could use it with any open wifi network. Just don’t leave any sensitive information on such a phone if you are going to connect to random open networks.

  7. good home phone where I live. hotspots are very few and far between in my rural area. interesting idea, but I’ll pass.

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