Just logged into my FP account today and noticed my data for both of my SIMs shows 200MB as opposed to 250MB even though I still have at least 10 people on my freedom friends list. So came here to see what was going on and read the sad news. Glad that I still have my FreeUp SIM.
I've looked at our accounts, but was so focused on looking for a notification about the new SIMs that it didn't occur to me to look at the friends bonus.
Just looked, on 2 accounts, with the last one renewing on the 2nd. The 2 accounts both show the friends bonus.
By chance, did you have to recently click through to bring your line out of hibernation? I think if this happens, the friends bonus disappears for the current cycle, but should return on the next renewal.
I'm guessing that the friends bonus might go away when the old style SIMs are decommissioned. Fingers crossed on that one. (Another question I didn't previously think of.....)
Yea (derp me), that's what it was. Hopefully they do keep the friends bonus, as 25MB is pretty much useless. I mostly use it on the rare occasion the home Internet connection goes out. I really wish there was a dirt-cheap low-speed unlimited mobile data plan out there.
Unlimited wifi calling doesn’t mean unlimited Volte calling. Is my understanding correct?
Your understanding is the same as mine: wish we had someone with the new SIM to test and confirm!
(The FreedomPop FAQ and plan details specifically refer to WiFi calling, and don't mention VoLTE at all.)
You will be able to activate new SIM on any 3G GSM phone, but without Wi-Fi calling compatible phone new free premium plan will be not usable (except occasional sms verifications).
After 02/2020 you will be required to use VoLTE compatible phone (general requirements for AT&T and AT&T MVNOs SIM cards/users).
Correct.
VoLTE calls are regular calls over LTE. After AT&T 3G shutdown on 02/2020 VoLTE will be the only option.
Wi-Fi calling is voice calls over wi-fi without need of installing additional app. It is part of standard Android 9 and up and Iphone 6 and newer support Wi-Fi calling.
For example, all unlocked LTE phones (with very few exceptions) with Android 9 and up that have T-Mobile LTE bands support VoLTE and VoVIFI on T-Mobile network.
The problem is that AT&T artificially restricts VoLTE and only few phones support it on AT&T network. Even much less phones supports VoWIFI on AT&T .
From a Freedompop support page updated 3 days ago,
WiFi calling allows you to make and receive calls, and text messages, using a Wi-Fi network, with your existing FreedomPop phone number. This is not the same as VoLTE.
ROTFLOL!
https://www.prepaidphonenews.com/2020/10/freedompops-free-plan-now-comes-with.html
With the new feature, FreedomPop's free plan now comes with the following:
Unlimited Wi-Fi calling
10 cellular voice minutes
Unlimited iMessages and RCS text messages
10 cellular text messages
25MB of LTE data
I haven't gotten any new SIMs in the mail for my 3 free plans, which are staggered to have billing periods end on the 3rd, 13th, and 23rd of each month. I'm going to hold off on switching as long as possible, i.e. I won't be switching immediately upon receiving the new SIMs - I'll wait until they send a notice explicitly saying my line will be terminated unless I act by a certain date.
I suppose the new native calling SIMs are still good to have around in case you need to port out a number to take advantage of a good deal somewhere else, especially if new activation is still free.
As a continuation of my prediction that the old free plans would be grandfathered beyond October 15, I believe that if the ultimate goal is to get the lines out of the old backend and onto RedPocket backend, FP will stop updating the Android and iPhone apps or even pull them from the app stores. However, I do not think they will shutoff the infrastructure in place supporting the old lines for quite some time.
If history repeats itself these will continue to work for many for some time to come. They took forever to close down the global sims.
My FP SIM that renews on the 13th of every month just renewed with my full 250mb allotment, including 50gb friends bonus.
Usually, at the beginning of each new billing period, this one experiences about 8-10 hours when the account shows as suspended, because the credit card that's attached to it has expired. But the account gets reactivated because I'm not being charged anything as long as I have some data use each billing period.
50 MB - we knew what you meant 
I'm not sure if FreedomPop/Red Pocket will have a choice. They don't really control the infrastructure that provides data -- AT&T does.
Yeah Freudian slip sorta. Perhaps due to my credit card being expired, I can use 50gb before they catch on, and then all they can do is shut my account down.
I got a replacement native calling SIM for one of my plans. I put the packet away and will probably forget where I placed it.
Here is my 2¢
I am on the annual plan but the one bought from a retail store. So they don't have my address, but they do have my email. I think if the annual plans were ending, they would take the frugal route and just email everyone. But I could be wrong, just trying to stay optimistic.
Neither one of my three plans is an annual plan. I received one replacement SIM yesterday.
Why are the old FP SIM cards/devices/plans still listed for sale?
Because they haven't updated their main website in ages. Their main homepage still says they support the Sprint network, for example, when that hasn't been true for 15 months or so.
Notice that this new plan information is on a completely new server (premium.freedompop.com). I wouldn't be surprised that, if they migrate everyone to new plans, they'll just dump the old site completely.