FreedomPop begins selling its own smartphone

Cell phone providers keep competing with each other in new ways. The recent launch of Verizon’s unlimited data plan (and T-Mobile’s rebuttal) are evidence of this. But what about users that just need basic service? That’s where FreedomPop came in. The wireless service provider has several tiers for customers to choose from, including a free option that has low limits on call minutes, texts, and data usage. While the service provider has gained a cult following, the service is typically available via refurbished or older smartphones sold through FreedomPop’s website. Now, the provider has started selling their own smartphone.

The FreedomPop V7 is specced to reflect the budget oriented service plans offered by FreedomPop. Internally, the V7 sports a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 (1.1 GHz), 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB of storage (expandable by an additional 32 GB via microSD), and runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The display is a 5” 720p IPS panel. The V7 also packs a 13 MP rear-facing camera and a VGA-quality front-facing camera. Powering everything is a removable 2100 mAh battery.

This is definitely a budget phone, but FreedomPop is currently selling it in the UK and Spain for £59 and €59, respectively. This is an introductory price, though; after the initial selling period, the device will sell for about £200 or €200, depending on the region. The phone is currently only available in these two countries, but FreedomPop has said they have plans to introduce the device in the United States soon.

FreedomPop’s free service varies by region. In the UK, they offer 200 minutes of talk, 200 texts, and 200 MB of data. In Spain, users are limited to 100 talk minutes, 300 texts, and 200 MB of data. FreedomPop offers paid tiers that allow for more talk, texts, and data. More details can be found on their site here.

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