Just Sharing This Cheapest Mobile Network in the UK?

smoggy07

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Anyone used the FreedomPop mobile network yet?

Mod/Admin note: this isn't spam or an advert for FP, I genuinely think it is a great service that I'd like to share with you (although I have included my referral link at the bottom so if you want to delete it or move it somewhere green I don't mind)

They offer 200 minutes, 200 text and 200 mb of mobile data 100% free for life with chances to earn more data completing offers or referring friends and you can pay for added services like more minutes/text/data, international calls, a local number from another country (a mobile number for France or Spain for friends and family to contact you on at local rates) and other bells and whistles.

They work by piggybacking on the Three UK network and give you an app to route all calls and texts over their own VOIP/VoLTE servers so you only ever use mobile data, meaning they only every need to buy wholesale data from Three which in turn means they can keep costs down and offer their free service (and the calls and texts using the app don't count towards your data use so don't eat away at the free data).

The FreedomPop app is in the Apple and Google stores and can be installed on a few phones and tablets at once (they all share the same number and minutes but you can order more SIMs for more numbers)

I've been using it for a few months now on my iPhone with my Giffgaff SIM card and as soon as they offer number porting in I'm going to ditch Giffgaff all together, I used it on the free WIFI networks when visiting friends in Morocco last month and it was crystal clear when I called her indoors (back home in England), I've even left my friend with the app on his phone over there so he can call the UK for free when he has mobile data or WIFI by registering one of the other SIMs I had to his phone.

This would be good for friends and family who live in Euroland who need to call England on a regular basis or even for expats who want/need a UK mobile number without the roaming charges (apparently they're starting to roll out free worldwide data roaming so you can use the 200 mb of free data when roaming too)

If any of our expat members need a UK address to get SIMs delivered to, let me know and you can use my address for sign up and I'll forward the SIM(s) onto you (you need the SIM to link the app I believe but don't need it in the phone to use the app after first setup)

See here for more info:
FreedomPop UK 100% free calls, text and mobile data
 

2cvbloke

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I have a Freedom POP SIM in my Galaxy Tab, their app won't work on there so I just use the data, but other than that, it's just another SIM in the collection of many SIMs (most of which have expired)...
 

smoggy07

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middlesbrough, teesside, northeast coast, uk
I have a Freedom POP SIM in my Galaxy Tab, their app won't work on there so I just use the data, but other than that, it's just another SIM in the collection of many SIMs (most of which have expired)...
Apparently you need to put the SIM in then download the app or download the app then install the SIM to get the app provisioned if you have any problems (also if the app installs but calls/text don't work you can ask support to resync your device/app to your account and that should clear that problem)

There are a couple of android apps too, one for phones, one for tablets and a diagnostics app, the first one I tried told me it was incompatible but I went to google on the PC and went into playstore, found FreedomPop and told google which device to install it onto and they done an over the air/wifi install
So far I have the app on 2 iPhones, a Galaxy s2 and a galaxy tab (from the one SIM account) and her indoors has her own SIM/account/number

There is a way to extract the username and password to use in a third party SIP client as well but that needs the FreedomPop app to be installed and working on an android phone first and it only works for the calls (FP SMS must use a funky SIP or VOIP protocol on their app for SMS/MMS)
 

2cvbloke

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Near Pontop Pike, Co. Durham
I just use it for the data, no app required... :D
 

PaulR

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This reminds of scheme a few years ago called, I think, Ovivo. You paid a one-off fee of around £20 and then got free everything for life. The service was supported by adverts and had been running for a few years.

I plucked up the courage to apply on-line, filled in the form and paid by credit card. Two days later the service went bust. Fortunately, having paid by credit card, I was able to claim that the sim card hadn't been delivered and got my money back. Thank goodness I didn't get the sim a few days earlier and had activated it.
 

rolfw

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Seems reasonable, but I'm averse to giving companies continuous credit card payment authority, which are practically impossible to stop, if they used Paypal. I'd get one for my sister for her UK mobile.
 

smoggy07

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middlesbrough, teesside, northeast coast, uk
This reminds of scheme a few years ago called, I think, Ovivo. You paid a one-off fee of around £20 and then got free everything for life. The service was supported by adverts and had been running for a few years.

I plucked up the courage to apply on-line, filled in the form and paid by credit card. Two days later the service went bust. Fortunately, having paid by credit card, I was able to claim that the sim card hadn't been delivered and got my money back. Thank goodness I didn't get the sim a few days earlier and had activated it.

They've been going for a few years in America and are looking to expand to other countries but the UK was their testbed, apparently it's taking off better in the UK than it initially did in the States and according to their blog they've secured $109 Million in total funding which in proper English is enough to last a few more years to come FREEDOMPOP RAISES $50 MILLION IN FINANCING AND LAUNCHES GLOBAL HOTSPOT WITH FREE DATA ACROSS THE WORLD

Seems reasonable, but I'm averse to giving companies continuous credit card payment authority, which are practically impossible to stop, if they used Paypal. I'd get one for my sister for her UK mobile.
Does she use much mobile data when she is out or away from WIFI? I only ask because as long as you don't drop below a certain level of data it won't charge the card or kill the services
FreedomPop uses Automatic Top-up to ensure you are never left without internet access when you exceed your monthly data allotment. The default top-up amount is £5. In any month your usage is within 20MB of your monthly plan capacity limit, or in which your account balance falls below £1, your account will be charged the automatic top-up amount using the primary payment method on your account
I think that means if you use 180mb it does the auto topup

I think you get free FreedomPop to FreedomPop calls and texts included too

The only thing stopping me from ditching Giffgaff at the moment is number porting
 

rolfw

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As I say, seems like a good deal, but absolutely refuse to allow companies to set up a continuous credit card payment, as unlike a Direct Debit, or Paypal payment authorisation, it cannot be stopped by the card holder.
 

2cvbloke

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As I say, seems like a good deal, but absolutely refuse to allow companies to set up a continuous credit card payment

I didn't set one up, nor has one occurred, you only pay once for the SIM & p&p and it's a free 200/200/200 for the life of the company, it's the extras that cost more... :)
 

2cvbloke

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Sticking with BT then? :-rofl2
 

Hixxy1

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GiffGaff are quite good with their goody bags.


Sent from Tapatalk
 

rolfw

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I didn't set one up, nor has one occurred, you only pay once for the SIM & p&p and it's a free 200/200/200 for the life of the company, it's the extras that cost more... :)
So what happens if you go over any of the 200s?
 

2cvbloke

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So what happens if you go over any of the 200s?

The data sends you to a topup page, minutes tells you to buy more minutes, texts tell you to buy more texts, it's like a free pint of beer you can have only once a month, once it's gone you have to wait or buy another... :)
 

smoggy07

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I have a Giffgaff SIM and the only fault I have with them is they only let users know about changes on their forums, they don't email or text to let you know that goodybags or prices are changing and any terms associated with those changes which is useless if like me you only visit their forums when you have a problem
(the end of the £10 goodybag, the end of the £12 goodbag and the terms for the £15 goodbag all stung me)

If you go over the 200 minutes or text you can "upgrade" to one of their paid minutes packages (i.e. the 500/500/500 for £4.99) or wait until the end of the billing period/month for the 200/200/200 to kick back in, unfortunately if you go over the 200mb it charges £5 to your card and sells you data on a per mb pay as you go bases (I think its 1.5p per mb) then when the balance reaches £1 it charges another £5 (if they have card details and auto topup is turned on! - I think)
But..... unless its in their terms I don't think it's a continuous payment, rather a card transaction each time using the stored payment card (don't they need to be explicit about telling you about continuous payments now?)

The best way round that is to goto WH Smiths or the Money Shop/Ramsdens and buy a pre-paid/pay as you go debit card where you can load it with £10 to get the SIM delivered (and incase you went over the 200) and forget about it, that way they can't take whats not there and can keep hammering the card (not that I'm saying they do) and it would make no odds to the bank.
 

rolfw

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If you go over the 200 minutes or text you can "upgrade" to one of their paid minutes packages (i.e. the 500/500/500 for £4.99) or wait until the end of the billing period/month for the 200/200/200 to kick back in, unfortunately if you go over the 200mb it charges £5 to your card and sells you data on a per mb pay as you go bases (I think its 1.5p per mb) then when the balance reaches £1 it charges another £5 (if they have card details and auto topup is turned on! - I think)
But..... unless its in their terms I don't think it's a continuous payment, rather a card transaction each time using the stored payment card (don't they need to be explicit about telling you about continuous payments now?)

The best way round that is to goto WH Smiths or the Money Shop/Ramsdens and buy a pre-paid/pay as you go debit card where you can load it with £10 to get the SIM delivered (and incase you went over the 200) and forget about it, that way they can't take whats not there and can keep hammering the card (not that I'm saying they do) and it would make no odds to the bank.

That's a good idea, might well do that, thanks.:)
 

mariust5

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I tried to order but come up with ,, You also authorize FreedomPop to charge £1.99 every month for continued service. Cancel or downgrade at any time. ''
 

smoggy07

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middlesbrough, teesside, northeast coast, uk
I tried to order but come up with ,, You also authorize FreedomPop to charge £1.99 every month for continued service. Cancel or downgrade at any time. ''
I never noticed that before and they haven't taken any £1.99 from me, they did however bill me £4.99 when I forgot to downgrade the wifes SIM after they gave me a free trial of the 500/500/500 plan in the beginning (however as soon as I brought it to their attention they refunded me right away)
The only thing I can see £1.99 for is premium voice which routes outgoing calls over the Three SIM as a 3G voice call when there is bad data coverage but that isn't needed if you get good data coverage from Three or are using WIFI
 

rolfw

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That £1.99 is for the Premium Voice service by the look of it, you need to untick the box.
 

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mariust5

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So , will it work in a 3g phone just for the minutes and texts ,( i'm not interested in the data ) , without the app as i don't think i have a compatible phone ?
 
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