Would you like to have free mobile phone access or free mobile Internet services? Sure you would, but is it really possible? One of the co-founders of Skype claims that he will offer such access in 2012 in the US with his new company, FreedomPop which was officially announced earlier this week.
FreedomPop is teaming up with LightSquared, which is building a 4G network in the US with plans to sell that access to companies like FreedomPop. FreedomPop claims that it will offer "free broadband and voice services to all Americans". The initial launch will "initially target underserved markets" which likely means locations in the country that don"t currently have 4G access. The plan is to go nationwide with FreedomPop in the second half of 2012.
Exactly how FreedomPop will offer free voice and mobile Internet access and still stay in business is something that hasn"t been addressed in the company"s press release. Do they plan to offer slow net access and limited voice for free with faster speeds and more minutes for a fee? Do they plan to give customers "special offers" (i. e. ads) if they sign on to the service? So far that remains a mystery.
At the moment, FreedomPop"s web site is very bare bones, offering up just a sign up page in order to be emailed updates about the business. Hopefully this is not a start up that will crash and burn before it begins.