Carrier FreedomPop has long been trying to tempt wireless users to its low-cost services by offering free and low-cost data and voice packages. Today, the company sweetens the deal with the launch of a new WhatsApp SIM that offers free unlimited access to the messaging app without a data plan.
FreedomPop usually offers a SIM for use in iPhone and Android phones that offers 500 texts, 200 minutes, and 500MB each month for free with available upgrades for more data starting at $10. The new WhatsApp SIM allows unlimited usage of the messaging app in addition to 200MBs free data and 100 voice minutes before users are required to sign-up for a paid plan for additional data or voice.
Like its free data and voice services, FreedomPop’s new WhatsApp SIM will work in over 30 countries through its various carrier partners. Its international data and voice services are currently available to U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Portugal and Italy and many other countries across Europe and Southeast Asia.
While the company has launched its zero-rated service in other markets including Spain, FreedomPop says this is the first of its kind to hit the US. Some wireless carriers have launched similar promotions, such as T-Mobile’s BingeOn initiative that offers unlimited data usage for streaming of video from certain apps. T-Mobile and the competitors, unlike FreedomPop’s WhatsApp SIM, require paid service for access.
FreedomPop makes a point of noting that “Zero-rating has come under scrutiny since the FCC’s net neutrality decision in June,” but claims its new service is “setting the stage” for zero-rated services that comply with the net neutrality ruling.
You can sign-up and check availability for the new WhatsApp service from FreedomPop here.
FREEDOMPOP EMBRACES WHATSAPP, LAUNCHES THE FIRST U.S. SIM WITH UNLIMITED ZERO-RATED WHATSAPP PLUS FREE DATA ACROSS 30 COUNTRIES
FreedomPop becomes first U.S. mobile provider to zero-rate WhatsApp, offering free, unlimited WhatsApp in the U.S. and more than 30 countries worldwide to unify global mobile networks into a single free access plan
Today FreedomPop became the first U.S. mobile service provider to offer a zero-rated WhatsApp SIM in the U.S., giving any mobile user unlimited free data in the U.S. and in more than 30 countries across Europe and Southeast Asia. As over-the-top (OTT) providers look to further disrupt the mobile industry, FreedomPop is leaping ahead by not only delivering a completely zero rated WhatsApp service, but also including an additional 200 MBs of free data with additional paid plans starting at under $10.
The WhatsApp SIM will come with unlimited WhatsApp usage, plus 200 MBs of additional data and 100 voice minutes, 100 percent free each month, giving Americans a simple and free way to stay in touch while they’re at home or abroad, without incurring costly roaming charges. FreedomPop has unified more than 30 mobile networks worldwide to bring free global data to users, with more to come.
“There really is no reason anyone should have to pay for voice and text in today’s environment. Over-the-top communication services like WhatsApp have eliminated the need for traditional voice and text services that carriers still force U.S. users to pay hundreds of dollars a year for,” said Chris Chen, FreedomPop’s SVP Product. “The zero-rated model is gaining traction in more developing countries, and FreedomPop is leading the way here in the U.S.”
With the plan, users can simply plug a FreedomPop SIM into their Android or iOS device, and FreedomPop will cover all data used by WhatsApp as well as provide an additional 200 MBs of data and 100 voice minutes to each user, completely free every month. The FreedomPop SIM also changes the way Americans can communicate while traveling abroad, giving unlimited, free international data and texts to any U.S. mobile user across 31 countries with no additional fees, including the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Portugal and Italy, and others. The U.S. WhatsApp SIM follows FreedomPop’s launch in Spain last month, where FreedomPop is also offering a zero-rated WhatsApp plan.
FreedomPop is the first zero-rated WhatsApp SIM to hit the U.S. Zero-rating has come under scrutiny since the FCC’s net neutrality decision in June, but FreedomPop is setting the stage for zero-rated models that comply with the recent ruling.
The SIM is available at FreedomPop.com/WA.
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