FreedompopWith the launch of the new iPad, equipped with 4G LTE cellular data, it seems likely that the next iPhone will be similarly supplied. Until then, a new startup called FreedomPop is rolling out a new iPhone case/sled that includes a Wi-Fi hotspot powered by the Clearwire 4G network.

FreedomPop, being backed by Skype co-founder Niklas Zennstrom, is offering the $99 device with 500MB of free data use each month, and should ship by the end of the summer. All Things D reports that the company is hoping to act as an alternative to throttled data services provided by native carriers.

"The timing couldn’t be better for our product," said FreedomPop VP of Product Mauricio Sastre in a statement. "Carriers are throttling data and increasing prices and users are desperate for affordable alternatives. As the mobile industry flexes its joint oligopolistic power, we want to ensure that we are keeping them honest."


The FreedomPop 4G iPhone Sleeve can be preordered from the company's website.

Top Rated Comments

spillproof Avatar
168 months ago
This seems to good to be true. $100 one time payment for a device that can give me 500MB of 4G speeds every month for free and create personal hotspots for my wifi only devices?

Or am I missing something? Because if it is true, I'm all over it.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
168 months ago
So they're rallying against the “oligopolistic power” of the carriers? So where do they get their data stream? Do they magic it from the sky?

Also be wary of any new free services. Often when something is free, YOU are the product being sold. I haven't read up on this but those considering it would be well advised to do so. Look no further than Google or Facebook.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Giuly Avatar
168 months ago
Dear Mr. AT&T CEO,
:rolleyes:. Even if those guys charge $10 for 5GB/mo later.

Yours sincerely.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
toronado455 Avatar
168 months ago
This seems to good to be true. $100 one time payment for a device that can give me 500MB of 4G speeds every month for free and create personal hotspots for my wifi only devices?

Or am I missing something? Because if it is true, I'm all over it.

This is similar to what NetZero is doing with Clearwire. One time device payment for free access, but only a small amount of data. They are hoping that users will upgrade to a paid plan once they realize how inadequate the free account is.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coolcash Avatar
168 months ago
Terms of Service...

Read their ToS. They will skim all your info, get access to all your social networking sites and other personal information.

Your information might be sent to 3rd parties for:

Email, telemarketing, SMS, etc.

http://www.freedompop.com/privacy.htm

Not a good deal at all for giving up all your information.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
reden Avatar
168 months ago
"FreedomPop - Free Access for All". Not really, you're charging 100 dollars for it.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

iOS 19 to Have Some of the 'Biggest' Design Changes in iPhone's History

Sunday March 16, 2025 10:35 am PDT by
Apple is planning some of the "biggest iOS and macOS redesigns in its history," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman reiterated that iOS 19 will have a visionOS-like design with more transparent interfaces:The new interfaces will adopt the design principles introduced in visionOS, the software for Apple's Vision Pro headset. That includes greater...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Max Rumors Allegedly Refer to 'iPhone 17 Ultra' Model

Friday March 14, 2025 7:56 am PDT by
If you've been following iPhone rumors over the last few years, you may remember reading reports that Apple flirted with the idea of introducing a super high-end "Ultra" model that would either replace its Pro Max device or sit above it in Apple's smartphone hirearchy. These reports appeared in the pre-launch iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 rumor cycles, but ultimately came to nothing. Now though, the...
Bent iPhone Air Feature

Apple Canned Larger iPhone 17 Air Model Over Fears of Bendgate 2.0

Monday March 17, 2025 4:07 am PDT by
Apple prototyped a larger ultra-slim iPhone 17 Air with a 6.9-inch display, but ultimately decided not to go ahead with the device because of fears that it could be susceptible to bending, according to a new report. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, writing in his latest Power On newsletter: When it first started work on the phone, it prototyped a device with a 6.9-inch screen — matching...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Apple's First Foldable iPhone Estimated to Cost Nearly Twice as Much as iPhone 16 Pro Max

Monday March 17, 2025 6:42 am PDT by
In an investor research note today with British bank Barclays, analyst Tim Long said Apple's first foldable iPhone could have a starting price in the $2,300 range in the United States, which would make it by far the most expensive iPhone model ever. If the first foldable iPhone starts at $2,299, that means it would cost nearly twice as much as the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which starts at $1,199. ...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have Five New Features

Tuesday March 18, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around a year and a half away from launching, there are already some early rumors about the devices. Below, we recap some key iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. Under-Screen Face ID In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap showing that iPhone 17 Pro models would feature under-display Face ID. In May 2024, however, Young said ...
General iOS Mail Feature

iOS 18.3.2 Broke iCloud Mail Delivery

Monday March 17, 2025 3:31 pm PDT by
The iOS 18.3.2 update that Apple released last week appears to have broken iCloud Mail for some users. There are multiple complaints on Reddit and the MacRumors forums from users who say that iCloud Mail is not able to push new iCloud emails to their iPhones after the iOS 18.3.2 update. Affected users say that despite having the correct settings enabled, new iCloud emails are not showing up...
iphone 16 pro models 1

All Four iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Upgraded 24-Megapixel Front Camera and More

Monday March 17, 2025 7:50 pm PDT by
All four iPhone 17 models launching later this year will feature an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, according to analyst Jeff Pu. In a research note today with investment firm GF Securities, Pu shared a chart in which he reiterated that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with a 24-megapixel front camera. By comparison, all four ...
iPhone 17 Air Size Feature

'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Start at $899 With Surprisingly Good Battery Life, Camera Control, and More

Sunday March 16, 2025 9:05 am PDT by
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today shared some new details about the rumored iPhone 17 Air. In his Power On newsletter, Gurman said he was told that the device may start at roughly $899 in the U.S., which means that it would occupy the same price point as the iPhone 16 Plus. This would make sense, as it has been widely rumored that the Air model will take over the Plus model's spot in the iPhone...