There are a couple of pretty huge differences, though. First, instead of the tiny Photon 4G, you’ll need to invest in the $89 Hub Burst, a unit that combines a router and modem in one. It plugs into the wall like how most routers would, but you don’t need to run a cable into it. Instead, the Hub Burst connects to the same WiMAX network as its mobile counterpart. In this way, you are best advised to put the Hub Burst as close to a window as possible.

Second, while the mobile plans provide you with 500MB of free data each month, the home plan will give you 1GB of free data for free. That’s a nice little top-up, but realize that 1GB won’t go that far with your regular home web traffic unless you’re really light with your usage. Thankfully, they offer pretty great upgrade plans too, starting at $10 a month for a 10GB cap. You can also pay for faster speeds, bumping up from the complimentary 1.5Mbps to get a much better 8Mbps at $19 a month.

Check the FreedomPop home Internet page to see if you have service in your area. They’re not going to have LTE up and running until at least Q3, so it’s still worthwhile to consider this unit in the meantime. You can always upgrade, after all.

[Source]

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FreedomPop has announced that its “social broadband” features are being expanded, making it possible for users to share and to request to use any unused bandwidth through popular social networks like Facebook and Twitter. If you have data that you’re not going to use, you can share that with your friends. If you need additional bandwidth, you can ask your friends if they have any to spare. You might already be familiar with the Freedom Friends referral program too, which was previously giving you an extra 10MB of data when you connect with a friend who is also on FreedomPop. That has now increased to 50MB per referral.

We have also known for some time that the company is expanding beyond the current WiMAX service to start providing Sprint LTE later this year. Now, we’re hearing that they’ll have a new LTE clip that works with the Apple iPad and this will be launching toward the second half of this year. More importantly, this iPad clip can fall back onto Sprint’s 3G network as needed, providing the much needed coverage and reliable service that the WiMAX hasn’t really been able to deliver. The new LTE device will work with the iPad, iPad mini and Samsung Galaxy devices.

[Source]

The post Share Your Unused FreedomPop Data via Social Networks appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Freedompop has forged a partnership with textPlus, preparing a free voice and text service that will start some time in the first quarter of this year. It will work with the sleeve that they have for the iPod touch and iPhone 4/4S. There is a free option, just like the free 500MB option, as well as stepped up plans that top out at just $15 a month for unlimited texting and 1,000 voice minutes.

“Our partnership with textPlus is another large step forward in offering consumers a true, free alternative to expensive mobile voice and data plans,” said Freedompop CEO Stephen Stokols. “FreedomPop and textPlus represent a new kind of telecom service based on principals established on the web. We are on a clear path to delivering affordable and convenient telecom services to everyone.”

I had a brief chat with Freedompop at CES in Las Vegas and they say that the transition to Sprint 3G/4G will likely happen some time in the third quarter of this year as they start to move away from the Clearwire 4G network. If you’re tired of giant cell phone plans, Freedompop’s “freemium” model sure sounds compelling.

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And then I came across FreedomPop, which has only been in beta for the last little while. The kicker here is that I don’t have to pay a dime; FreedomPop gives out 4G wireless Internet for free, including providing you with a mobile hotspot. To give them a try, I ordered the FreedomPop Photon 4G mobile hotspot and here are my impressions.

What Is FreedomPop?

Backed by Skype co-founder Niklas Zennstrom, FreedomPop aims to provide Americans with free Internet access. The “free” account is limited to just 500MB a month (you can pay for more), but it is free. All you have to do is get the USB dongle or the mobile hotspot, but both of those are free too; you just have to put down a (refundable) security deposit. On paper, this sounds better than the NetZero 4G offering which only provides 200MB/month for a first year and you have to buy a wireless device from them.

The FreedomPop Photon 4G mobile hotspot is exactly the same as the CLEAR Spot Voyager, except it has been re-branded. This is because FreedomPop is an MVNO that is currently utilizing the CLEAR WiMAX network. What this means is that while you get “4G WiMAX” speeds, coverage is not nearly as good as the majors. Thankfully, FreedomPop has signed a deal to use the Sprint LTE network and they should be rolling that out some time in 2013.

Setup and Configuration

So, what about the Photon 4G itself. It’s actually a lot smaller than I expected, measuring about half the size of a modern smartphone at about 2.6″ x 2.6″ x 0.5″. There’s a 1830mAh battery inside that’s reportedly good for up to six hours of continuous use. It has a range of up to 100 feet and can connect with up to eight Wi-Fi devices simultaneously.

There are three indicator lights on the front: Power, Wi-Fi, and 4G. In case you ever forget what any of the colors mean, there is a handy guide printed on the back of the Photon. The power light, for instance, is solid green when the battery is close to full, changing to amber and finally red as it starts to drain.

The setup process couldn’t be easier. Also printed on the back of the device is your default SSID and password. You turn on the Photon 4G by holding the power button, give it a minute to start up, and then connect to it with your smartphone, tablet, laptop or whatever other WiFi-enabled device the way you would connect to any access point. Assuming you have 4G signal, you are now connected to the web.

The Mobile Admin Page

The Photon 4G acts more or less like a regular router, so after connecting to it, you can use your mobile browser and enter 192.168.1.1 to get to the mobile admin page.

This is significantly stripped down from what you’d get from your wireless router at home, but you do have access to all the basics that you need. This includes monitoring the battery level and 4G signal, as well as easily changing the SSID and password (which you’ll probably want to do). Curiously, you cannot access your FreedomPop account from here to see how much data you have consumed. This can become troubling if you’re getting close to your quota and run the risk of overage fees.

Coverage and Speed Tests

So, how does this perform in the real world? It’s a bit of a mixed bag. I had previously borrowed my friend’s T-Mobile 4G hotspot and I had coverage just about everywhere I went. Speeds were generally very good too. FreedomPop is a little different.

My testing took me from Bellingham to the edge of Seattle in Washington state. I did not have any 4G signal between the US-Canada border and Bellingham, but I did pick up a signal when I got into town. It was mostly fine when I was outdoors or near a window, but the signal did begin to fade out when I got into the mall and it fell out entirely when I got into the concrete behemoth known as Costco.

The speed test on the left was performed inside a store in a strip mall in Bellingham. It’s not exactly blazing, but if all you need is some mobile access to e-mail and Facebook, almost 3Mbps is more than adequate. The signal dropped out again as I hit the Interstate, coming back periodically but mostly falling out. It wasn’t until I got to Lynnwood (about 15 minutes north of Seattle) that I got a solid signal again. It was here that I performed the speed test on the right, which is much better at over 6Mbps down and with about half the ping time at 79ms.

I can’t say for certain what the coverage and the speed will be like in your area, but based on my experience, the CLEAR WiMAX network is really only useful when you’re in bigger cities and it’s barely usable in smaller towns. It also has a hard time penetrating dense foliage or buildings and this is likely due the 2500MHz band that it utilizes. It’s good to have some free Internet, but it’s not nearly as reliable as what I was able to get with T-Mobile or AT&T.

Conclusion

Given the price, I suppose I can’t really complain. All I had to do was put down the $100 security deposit and I had a “free” 4G mobile hotspot in my hands. When I was able to get a solid WiMAX signal, the resulting speeds are perfectly adequate for casual use, but it’s getting that solid signal that is such a challenge. I imagine performance with the USB dongle or the iPod touch sleeve would be much the same.

Battery life was pretty close to the claimed six hours, though I wasn’t actively using the connection the whole time. Of course, the Photon was constantly hunting for a 4G signal too. Build quality is good–it has this nice soft finish–and it really couldn’t be any easier to use. I think that FreedomPop is really onto something here, but it just won’t do with the CLEAR WiMAX network. I look forward to what Sprint’s LTE network can bring, but until then, I would not recommend relying on the FreedomPop 4G as your primary mobile Internet service.

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