Hey, just curious & not doubting you, how did you determine that this is probably a modified version of Weather Port?
I loaded the dropbox version on a phone that I'm not presently using on any service and it shows as Weather Port.
Thanks for doing that!
Did it indeed take over as launcher? Permissions beyond location & microphone? Wondering if denying either is possible and the app would still work.
I'm curious how it would play with duckduckgo app tracking protection + pi-hole on my home network. Guessing it wouldn't be happy but only needs to be happy enough to "run" enough to satisfy Beast.
I didn't get that far with it. There is a prompt to set Weather Port as the defualt home app which I didn't and the another for location. I never did finish the setup.
I think a complaint to FTC would also be in order. This was never advertised as an android only service, although I'm sure Beast will argue that restricting free service in this way is allowable under their T&Cs.
I think you are correct. When I signed up, there was no mention of the APP at all and there was no T&Cs legalese page that you would normally expect.
I know there were different variations on their language etc. at different times on their site and on the sales funnels site.
Did anyone take screenshots to document?
There was no mention of thIs Weather Port app. It mentions the Beast Mobile app but nowhere does it say it is manditory.
It's largely immaterial to me since they never activated either of my sim cards, but I find myself mildly curious whether they are actually going to try to monitor whether you're USING the app to any appreciable degree, or just whether you have it installed. It wouldn't necessarily need any more intrusive permissions for that than it has to have by its nature, most likely, since they could base it on counting ad impressions...although that would mean they couldn't tell someone who just launched that home screen once or twice a month from someone who barely used their phone except by correlating that with your account quotas.
If I remember right, Surge once had theirs set up so that you actually gained a credit (or perhaps a few, don't recall) for each lock screen ad it showed you, but during the time I had it active I don't think they ever tied it down that way - being unable to earn credits on a device without a Surge sim in it seems to be a more recent update. I'm pretty sure at one point you could acquire your credits on one device and use the sim in a different one if you wanted.
...I should probably add a disclaimer that I'm not suggesting any of this should influence whether people install the app or not. I'm just mildly interested in the mechanics of it for their own sake. It definitely looks like they are going down something very similar to the Surge road though.
Here's Beast Mobile's response to my inquiry about lost service:
Hi there,
You need to download and install our app in order to receive free service. You can find the APP here. Let us know once you have it installed and we can restores your service
Thanks,
Thanks,
Beast Mobile Team
My 3 lines are gone as of this morning.
My 1.beast line gone as well
Oho, they got it on the Play Store now? Interesting...wait, that's the one that came on the phone they sell, not the one they were distributing via dropbox. Although from the way it was described, it may give them the ability to deploy the one in dropbox to you.
Yes that was the app preinstalled on the NUU phone I received.
Sure enough, it pushed Weather Port on the NUU this week 
Holy $hite! A LOT of permissions for the app - SureMDM Mobile Device Management - 42Gears MDM
Other than physical possession you are pretty much potentially giving them your phone.
'This app has access to:
Storage
modify or delete the contents of your USB storage
read the contents of your USB storage
Identity
find accounts on the device
add or remove accounts
Photos/Media/Files
modify or delete the contents of your USB storage
read the contents of your USB storage
Camera
take pictures and videos
Phone
read call log
directly call phone numbers
read phone status and identity
reroute outgoing calls
Contacts
modify your contacts
find accounts on the device
read your contacts
Location
precise location (GPS and network-based)
approximate location (network-based)
Device ID & call information
read phone status and identity
Wi-Fi connection information
view Wi-Fi connections
SMS
read your text messages (SMS or MMS)
receive text messages (SMS)
Other
download files without notification
update component usage statistics
adjust your wallpaper size
receive data from Internet
control vibration
reorder running apps
modify system settings
pair with Bluetooth devices
disable your screen lock
run at startup
uninstall shortcuts
control flashlight
set wallpaper
control Near Field Communication
change your audio settings
change network connectivity
install shortcuts
send sticky broadcast
draw over other apps
access Bluetooth settings
expand/collapse status bar
full network access
view network connections
prevent device from sleeping
toggle sync on and off
connect and disconnect from
Wi-Fi
close other apps
measure app storage space
read Google service configuration"
My service stopped yesterday. When I call the number, I get the standard ATT message for suspended lines: "the person you are trying to reach is not accepting calls at this time..." I never got a text about downloading that app, although that might be because the SIM was in a smartwatch that doesn't accept MMS.
So, I decided to call. I actually reached a live person. I was told that the free plans are being discontinued. I would have three options:
- continue the service by buying the $149 phone
- go with a monthly paid plan
- port my number out
About 30 minutes later, I got this email
Hi there and thanks for testing out our free service. We have ended the test, but you have some options. 1. You can purchase a NUU X6 plus from our website for $149 and receive unlimited talk text and 2GB of data for life. Link to the program here. Keep in mind you need to use on this device to receive FREE service. 2. You can buy a plan and add to your device. We ave plans starting at $15. You can see all plans here. 3. You can port your number out to someone else. Your Account number is XXXXXXXXXXXXX and your pin code is XXXXXXX. Let us know what you decide to do. We would love to keep you as a customer, and we hoped you enjoyed your FREE service.
If I had a line at Beast, the options listed in that email would be the kiss of death. Even if they permitted continued use of my own phone, and the free plan, it would be the kiss of death. At first glance, at least the app they're now requiring is sourced via Google Play instead of a random dropbox. But, my understanding is that SureMDM will allow Beast to load any app on your phone, from any source, at any time Beast desires. That's a bridge too far, for me.
I'm flummoxed.
Beast Mobile writes me on Thursday:
"You need to download and install our [egregious SureMDM] app
[onto your existing phone] in order to receive free service."
Then, on Friday, Beast Mobile writes me that their free service
for my existing phone has ended:
"...thanks for testing out our free service. We have ended the
test, but you have some options..."
What?
Attention Beast Mobile: Consider getting your Thursday Beast
Mobile Team workers and your Friday Beast Mobile Team workers
in the same room so they can get their stories straight. And,
there's always a village somewhere that's looking for it's idiot.
"Hi there and thanks for testing out our free service. We have ended the test,"....
Funny, I never noticed it marketed as a "test" 7 months ago. Of course we knew better, or should have given other free ad supported services preceding Beast/FreeMo.
But, hope springs eternal that some enterprise would figure out how to make the model work for the user and the company.
Wonder how long the NUU X6 $149 "test" will last........
Beast Mobile has a 5-year offer - ulm t/t & 2gb / mo (plus unlimted slow data) - for $250 plus you get a free samsung A12. If you get 5 years of service ~ $4.16/month.
Given Freemii's "lifetime" that's a big if. Leads me to wonder what Beast's "5 years" will be. Maybe a bit more realistic than lifetime.
A12 was released 2 years ago. Wiil it get past android 11? Security updates?
Did anyone here ever take Beast up on the offer of "lifetime" service if you buy the NUU X6 plus for $149? "receive unlimited talk text and 2GB of data for life. Keep in mind you need to use on this device to receive FREE service."
This 5 year offer says "*when you activate your Samsung A12 with Beast Mobile". Doesn't specifically tie it to the phone?