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PX Eliezer704
Premium Member
join:2008-08-09
Hutt River

PX Eliezer704

Premium Member

Skype's Founder To Offer Free Web Access for Homes

News story excerpt:

FreedomPop Inc., backed by Skype co- founder Niklas Zennstrom, is starting a free wireless Internet service for the home that will compete with Web connections from telephone and cable companies.

The Los Angeles-based startup said today it began taking orders for an $89 modem that will provide online access to as many as 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices in a home at speeds faster than digital subscriber lines. The device will start shipping in January, with 1 gigabyte of data per month for free. Consumers may purchase additional bandwidth by signing up for plans starting at $8.99 a month for 10 gigabytes.

Full story from BusinessWeek
»www.businessweek.com/new ··· or-homes
gweidenh
join:2002-05-18
Houston, TX

1 edit

gweidenh

Member

I actually bought one of the Freedom Pop mifi's. I get WiMax at our house and I figured 500MB/month for free is a good idea as a backup provider.

Over the Christmas break, I plan on configuring my pfsense box to use the freedompop mifi as a 2nd WAN connection for failover.

I figure if my main comcast connection goes down, I can temporarily failover to Wimax.

PX Eliezer704
Premium Member
join:2008-08-09
Hutt River

PX Eliezer704

Premium Member

Looks like they only serve limited areas now (basically what Clearwire serves) but they plan to add coverage from the Sprint 4G network next year. Sprint basically runs Clearwire as it is.
gweidenh
join:2002-05-18
Houston, TX

gweidenh

Member

Yes, they only support WiMax currently, but will migrate to LTE at somepoint in the future.

If I position the mifi in a 2nd story window, I get line of site to a Clearwire Tower. I generally get about 4Mb/1Mb depending on time of day.
SCADAGeo
Premium Member
join:2012-11-08
N California

SCADAGeo to PX Eliezer704

Premium Member

to PX Eliezer704
Nice dl/ul speed, especially at that price.

ymhee_bcex
Premium Member
join:2006-04-21
Tarzana, CA
·AT&T Wireless Br..

ymhee_bcex to PX Eliezer704

Premium Member

to PX Eliezer704
is it free? or free for the first month after $7 S&H and $100 security deposit?

FreedomPop Speed Plus - 100% FREE for the first month. After first month you will continue to receive FreedomPop Speed Plus every month for $3.99 after your trial period expires

Either way, $4/mo for 1.5 GB is not bad, especially since Southern California has pretty good WiMax reception... I am tempted

brg
Premium Member
join:2001-01-03
Chicago, IL

brg

Premium Member

said by ymhee_bcex:

is it free? or free for the first month after $7 S&H and $100 security deposit?

FreedomPop Speed Plus - 100% FREE for the first month. After first month you will continue to receive FreedomPop Speed Plus every month for $3.99 after your trial period expires

Either way, $4/mo for 1.5 GB is not bad, especially since Southern California has pretty good WiMax reception... I am tempted

Different services.

There is a totally free 500MB/mo FreedomPop offering

But, they also have a "premium" service, whereby they provide you faster speeds, for $3.99.mo.

When you sign-up, you are auto-opted-in for that premium service. You have to opt out/turn it off.

Sneaky, but you can get to the free service if you are persistent...
hoolahoous
join:2004-08-25
Red Valley, AZ

hoolahoous

Member

as with most of the things, there are few catches for free services though.

1) you MUST use atleast 5 mb's every month with this mifi device. otherwise you get charged a fee

2) rounding is to nearest MB. and their device does a 'heartbeat' to their server (each one costing 1 MB). So if you leave your device on, even without using, you will exceed the 'free quota' in few days.

If you are careful and not trip over these traps, it might be a good deal.
gweidenh
join:2002-05-18
Houston, TX

gweidenh

Member

quote:
2) rounding is to nearest MB. and their device does a 'heartbeat' to their server (each one costing 1 MB). So if you leave your device on, even without using, you will exceed the 'free quota' in few days.

Source?

Generally speaking, infrastructure tax is not counted as usage. The data must actually flow through the NAT for it to count.

garys_2k
Premium Member
join:2004-05-07
Farmington, MI

garys_2k to hoolahoous

Premium Member

to hoolahoous
A MB for each keep alive? Seriously? Is there documentation for that? Simple UTP packets do that with a few bytes.

ymhee_bcex
Premium Member
join:2006-04-21
Tarzana, CA
·AT&T Wireless Br..

1 edit

ymhee_bcex to PX Eliezer704

Premium Member

to PX Eliezer704
So, I signed up... I'll keep you guys updated how it goes, unless there is a better place.

First, the timer starts right away, as soon as I clicked "activate button" although I won't get the modem for about a week. A little annoying.

I don't see a way to opt out of this premium service. Actually, I don't know what this premium service includes. So, it's $4/mo after first free month unless I figure it out during first month. Even if I don't - it's OK. I can afford it.

There was "1 GB extra for today". Well - it worked the same the next day as well.

I am not planning to use it at home. So, I probably not going to keep it on. Still - I didn't see either 5mb minimum; nor 1MB heartbeat. We'll see how it goes

Quick Update: just got a note that they shipped the modem; also noticed that they are walking distance from my home... I could pick it up on my way from work
hoolahoous
join:2004-08-25
Red Valley, AZ

hoolahoous to garys_2k

Member

to garys_2k
said by garys_2k:

A MB for each keep alive? Seriously? Is there documentation for that? Simple UTP packets do that with a few bytes.

ask me how I know.. I bought one. But I could be wrong, so check the forums at slickdeals. pages full of details.
Now I just turn it one when needed and then quickly power it off after I am done.

ropeguru
Premium Member
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA

1 edit

ropeguru to hoolahoous

Premium Member

to hoolahoous
While they mention nothing about a heartbeat, according to their terms, the data is rounded to the nearest tenth MB, not the nearest MB.

At the end of each broadband session we will calculate your broadband data usage rounded up to the nearest 0.1 megabyte. For example, if your actual data usage is 1.32 megabytes, you will be charged for 1.4 megabytes of data usage. We'll deduct the total charge from your Credit Account balance at the end of each session

So either you are incorrect, or they are not adhering to their own terms.

»www.freedompop.com/servi ··· erms.htm

Edit: Additionally, there is no mention in the AUP, Terms of Service, or the Service Plan, Equipment, and Payment Terms about a minimum usage per month on the free plan. If they were to pull this after I subscribed and it still was not included in any of their documentation, they would have a legal fight on their hands.
hoolahoous
join:2004-08-25
Red Valley, AZ

hoolahoous to PX Eliezer704

Member

to PX Eliezer704
can we be friends..? :)

look harder.. on
»www.freedompop.com/servi ··· erms.htm


If you choose the free Broadband Service and use less than 5mb in any given month, we'll charge you a $.99 Active Status fee to keep your account active.


when you go over your free quota, then they do rouding at 1/10th of MB. However within free quota it is full MB

»slickdeals.net/forums/sh ··· ount=721

which is consistent to my and many other users' experience. I am not bashing FP, just letting folks know of catches. I have one device and I am okay with these catches.
here is the detailed thread (if you have time) on slickdeals..

»slickdeals.net/f/5273826 ··· -deposit

ropeguru
Premium Member
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA

ropeguru

Premium Member

I stand corrected on the minimum. However, I would still challenge them on the 1MB rounding in court as the only rounding mentioned anywhere, is the tenth MB.
SCADAGeo
Premium Member
join:2012-11-08
N California

SCADAGeo to hoolahoous

Premium Member

to hoolahoous
said by hoolahoous:

just letting folks know of catches. I have one device and I am okay with these catches.

Thanks for the information.

ymhee_bcex
Premium Member
join:2006-04-21
Tarzana, CA
·AT&T Wireless Br..

ymhee_bcex to PX Eliezer704

Premium Member

to PX Eliezer704
OK, finishing my first month... Several annoying sneaky things. I received the device about a week after I signed up. So, my first month was actually 3 weeks. Shipping was $7. I used about 100MB in the first month; so I cancelled the "premium offer" (1.5GB for a few bucks).

This is what annoyed me most:
quote:
Why am I paying for a security deposit?

For our Freedom Stick Bolt and Photon, the security deposit is a way for us to offer our device and services completely free to our customers. For the first year of use the deposit is fully refundable and will be credited back to you when you return the device by mail, minus damages that may occur during use. A handling fee may also be applicable. After a year, we assume that you want to keep the device and continue to use it in which case, the security deposit is not refundable.

That is, to avoid $100 charges, I need to return the device within a year. It gives me strong incentive to cancel the service after 11 months, in order to avoid $100 charge.

Completely opposite from every other company I worked with. Usually it goes like that: "we request that you return the equipment. However, you've had it for so long that this model is already obsolete. It's locked and useless to you, and it's useless to us - so just throw it away".
NoHereNoMo
join:2012-12-06

NoHereNoMo

Member

Free* to try, not free* to keep (*plus, perhaps, some extra charge(s) for whatever). Not that new of a concept.

ymhee_bcex
Premium Member
join:2006-04-21
Tarzana, CA
·AT&T Wireless Br..

ymhee_bcex

Premium Member

I dunno... Here is how I see it:

"Request our toothbrush and a monthly supply of toothpaste absolutely free. If you don't like it, call us within 30 days and cancel your membership - no questions asked! The toothbrush is yours to keep - just pay for the shipping and handling!"

Here it is like, "if you don't stop using our toothbrush after a year, we assume that you like it and charge you $100". What an odd marketing concept!
NoHereNoMo
join:2012-12-06

NoHereNoMo

Member

Well, if you start with something that isn't worth the "bargain" price to begin with (let alone "2 for the price of 1!!!" promotions [which populate TV info-/com-mercials now]), then yeah. Both types of promotions abound. I think this type has been around longer though--pre-dates TV entirely.
gweidenh
join:2002-05-18
Houston, TX

gweidenh

Member

Once again, this forum amazes me.

They offer 500MB/month for free and you still find something to complain about.

Seriously people.
Iscream
Premium Member
join:2009-02-17
New York, NY

Iscream to PX Eliezer704

Premium Member

to PX Eliezer704
I'm using FP service since early BETA (Aug. 2012).

I've paid for the device (mifi router) and S&H upfront and using their Free service only.

The service is [so far, 5th month] absolutely amazing - it's 4/1Mbps on average in both my locations, home and work. I barely use it - mainly experimenting with, but SIP calls work flawlessly and registrations are stable when used on a car while commuting from Lower Manhattan, through Brooklyn, Verrazano br. through SI.

The most unbelievable thing - the service (although degraded) is still fully operational while in Battery tunnel - it stays registered while voice on a call may jitter/break-in-out at times, few times - dropped, but generally - still usable; just to compare with - my AT&T mobile is at 0 bars while Sprint is barely at 1-2, calls drop in the middle. In mid of Verrazano the AT&T's phone is totally useless while FP - still operates (IP packets still moving), although voice quality degrades below acceptable, registrations - drop.

The only thing which is a bit unclear to me - why they charge "keeping account active" fee of $0.99 if during a month there was less than 5MB usage. To my understanding - it doesn't cost to not have a traffic at all, but I can be wrong. I don't think that anyone should complain about that charge - it's easy to avoid it even if one uses the network as a backup only - just turn it on once a month and download few SPAM e-mail )

To MHO - this thing (FP) is much cooler than Skype with a real disruptive potential to scare Tier-1s to death.
NoHereNoMo
join:2012-12-06

NoHereNoMo to gweidenh

Member

to gweidenh
The only thing I've complained about is not being able to get it (in another thread)... so why point your response at me?
gweidenh
join:2002-05-18
Houston, TX

gweidenh

Member

Relax, it wasnt pointed at you. I just replied to the last post in the thread.
OZO
Premium Member
join:2003-01-17

OZO

Premium Member

There are two ways to post replies on this forum. Using big "Reply OP" button (to send reply to the thread in general) and small "Reply" button under each post. The latter is used to make reply to that particular post. Hope this helps to avoid confusion in the future.,,

P.S. This reply is directed to your post and therefore I used the small "Reply" button from your post.
gweidenh
join:2002-05-18
Houston, TX

gweidenh

Member

Thanks. I always use the reply button on the last post.

People only get upset when I say something that goes "against the grain"

PS, this forum software is terrible. Dont blame me for its shortcomings.
PX Eliezer704
Premium Member
join:2008-08-09
Hutt River

PX Eliezer704

Premium Member

said by gweidenh:

PS, this forum software is terrible.

What forums seem to have better software?

I ask because most other forums that I've seen, I can't [stand] how they work.

However, it may be a matter of what one is used to....

news4la
join:2009-01-05
Universal City, CA

news4la to PX Eliezer704

Member

to PX Eliezer704
I use the Bolt version for my Laptop. It is very good in Burbank.4 Blue bars and green LED. I like the speed. I used it for VoIP on CallCentric account I have. No problems. I used it in Company car while passenger.(moving on street) No drops. I believe the 500M is every month free.(Resets every month) What's not to like? Their office is in Tarzana,CA. A 10 min ride from my office. Their Warehouse is in Indiana. Where everything equipment wise comes from. They use FedEx for delivery. I am pleased with it. Thinking of getting the saucer shaped unit to try out. If Clear ran their business better they might not need this. This does run on Clear's WiMax system. They are thinking on using T-Mobile system to expand their coverage. We will see!!
news4la

news4la

Member

I meant to reply to everyone not just to PX
PX Eliezer704
Premium Member
join:2008-08-09
Hutt River

PX Eliezer704 to news4la

Premium Member

to news4la
said by news4la:

I use the Bolt version for my Laptop. It is very good in Burbank.

gweidenh was discussing the operation of [this DSLR website] and the software used for the forums such as Voip Tech Chat.