Hasta La Gadget!

More than a year after Sprint stopped launching WiMAX phones, it added a new paragraph to its terms and conditions that indicate its impending breakup with the wireless standard. According to PCWorld, the change (originally noticed by an S4Guru forum user) was implemented on May 22nd. You can read it in its entirety after the break, but to summarize: if you have a WiMAX device, you’ll eventually have to decide whether you want to keep using your phone without it, deactivate your contract or transition to the carrier’s LTE network. You won’t have to pay an early-termination fee if you choose deactivation, while you’ll get a “standard” LTE device (Sprint didn’t specify which) if you opt for transition. The Now Network didn’t say how long it will continue supporting the flagging wireless standard, but it’s clear as day it’s focusing its efforts on widening its LTE coverage.

[Image credit: William Ross]

Filed under: Networking, Sprint

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Via: S4Guru, PCWorld

Source: Sprint

Oh, hell. FreedomPop might really be onto something this time. The company best known for doling out 500MB of free mobile data per month to hotspots, iPods and home routers will step up its game later this summer with a free phone service for Android users… with a few caveats, that is. To get by on the cheap, you’ll need to make do with a relatively scant 200 voice minutes and 500MB of mobile data in order to avoid overage fees, but to FreedomPop’s credit, it’ll include unlimited texting as part of the mix. What’s more, if you happen to go over your minute allotment, you’ll be charged a rather reasonable $9.99, which brings unlimited voice to the table. As you might’ve suspected, data overages are the biggest caveat to FreedomPop’s service, which can cost between $10 and $20 per gigabyte.

The service will operate over Sprint’s network, which brings access to EV-DO and WiMAX, and also leverages VoIP for calls. While it won’t be available at launch, FreedomPop tells us that LTE may eventually worm its way into the offering. Sadly, the company isn’t ready to discuss which Android phones will be offered (or at what price points). As another sticking point, there’s a chance that number portability won’t make it into the beta launch, but FreedomPop assures us that it’s in the works. Even with the constraints and risk of overages, it seems that FreedomPop could still be a workable (and very inexpensive) solution if you lean on WiFi for most of your data usage. In fact, company reps tell us that 50 percent of its customers are able to get by without incurring overages or monthly fees. Think you have the self-restraint to be among them?

Filed under: Wireless, Mobile

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Source: FreedomPop

FreedomPop recently set to upset the world of ISPs by offering free broadband Internet, which was a little too good to be true when we realized it would offer only 1GB of Internet service for free per month. It’s now setting its sights to the world of 4G Internet as they’re announcing their first hotspot.

FreedomPop’s Overdrive Pro is a $40 hotspot that features a dual-mode that allows it to use Sprint’s nationwide 3G network when WiMAX isn’t available and will allow its users to have 500MB of free wireless network access per month. For those data-hungry users who can’t get by on a measly 500MB of Internet service per month, FreedomPop offers a monthly 2GB plan for $20, which seems like a fair deal when you consider the first 500MB of a month will be completely free for you.

Customers who happen to already own a previous FreedomPop hotspot can upgrade to the Overdrive Pro by making a quick call to the company’s customer service. Considering this one will be able to connect to a wider range of wireless networks, we think it’s safe to say you should get to upgrading immediately.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Android-Exclusive Google Now May Be Headed To The Web, Adobe Launching Primetime To Tackle TV Everywhere,

Back in December, we told you about the new Hub Burst wireless router from FreedomPop, which costs $89 up front, but it gives you 1GB of data per month for free, with $10/month getting you 10GB. The router is available now, and it’s meant to support a household of usage, but as long as you’re not streaming movies if you want to keep the free plan.

Sadly, though, FreedomPop only uses WiMAX and the service is limited to just a handful of regions in the US. While the company plans to switch to LTE at some point in the future, availability still may be scarce, but we wouldn’t be surprised if FreedomPop eventually spread the service to most users in the country.

While $10 per month for 10GB of data seems like a steal, some users may just not want to pony up any money at all, but the 1GB of data per month is a rather low amount, especially if you’re using it in a house full of kids. However, as always, FreedomPop offers the opportunity to earn more data by completing different tasks, like adding friends and completing partner promotions.

FreedomPop claims that their $10/month plan is 80% cheaper than your typical DSL or cable offering, but at this point, nothing can really beat the reliability of a solid home wired network can’t quite beat wireless service at this point. However, once LTE rolls around in more areas, FreedomPop may actually become a viable option, but we’ll have to wait and see.

FreedomPop Hub Burst now available for $89, offers 1GB/month for free is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
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FreedomPop’s gamble on free WiMAX data launched in beta at the start of month, but early adopters had to be contented with conventional hotspots and modems at first; those of us with a fixation on data-only cellular handsets had to keep waiting. We can stay slightly cooler-headed now that the provider is shipping its iPod touch 4G Sleeve. Shelling out $99 grafts a 4G hotspot to the back of the fourth-generation media player that gives it independence from WiFi as well as connection sharing with eight other devices — at least, for anyone willing to burn through that 500MB of free monthly data in record time. About the only catches are the $10 per gigabyte overage fee and a design that’s just slightly behind the times for iPod addicts. While some of us will still cling to smartphones for coverage or legacy reasons, others who mostly communicate through Instagram food photos could have that excuse they need to drop cellular phone service once and for all.

Update: Thanks to reader (and early adopter) Penn who pointed out that overages are $20 per gigabyte if you’re on the free plan — it’s only $10 if you’re a regularly paying customer.

Continue reading FreedomPop ships its 4G-enabling iPod touch case, lets us nearly go phoneless for $99 (update: plan clarifications)

Filed under: Portable Audio/Video, Wireless, Networking, Mobile

FreedomPop ships its 4G-enabling iPod touch case, lets us nearly go phoneless for $99 (update: plan clarifications) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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