Further info above.
I haven't been following FreedomPop developments over the last year. If I have multiple free FreedomPop lines that I haven't touched in a year, but am still getting billed that annoying (but manageable) 1 cent per month, per line, must I take any action to prevent being automatically bumped up to a plan with a real monthly fee?
P.S. How can I even find what active accounts I still have with FreedomPop, and what the associated email login is for each one?
P.P.S. If FreedomPop is planning to automatically bump up all their free customers into a paid plan (and suddenly start billing their credit cards), unless the user proactively takes action to stop that, they'll be having many angry people victimized by such a bait-and-switch.
That WAS the business plan, brilliant!
Oh, duh... I just read the email. Even though I read drysun's quote above, the "for those who don't migrate" part slipped by me. If this $4 Essential plan is really for those who don't migrate to the new SIM, it's not cellular voice either? The only way cellular voice can be enabled is if one gets the new SIM (and would then have 'migrated'). And FreedomPop has discontinued distributing the VoIP app, so if you don't already have it installed.... what?
And if that's right, then FreedomPop doesn't have to discontinue the old 'LTE' SIMs, which has been one of the theories floating around. Why force, for example, someone with the 1GB/annual plan to migrate to the new SIM, if the old SIM can still be used on the Essentials plan?
Why "automatically migrate to the Essential Plan" without the active user's consent, and instead rely on an email "notification"? My theory is that they figured those old LTE SIMs haven been forgotten by now. The buyers (if used a non-primary email account) probably don't even check those email. So, an opportunity to charge $4/mo/SIM and hope people don't notice it in their credit card statements. Better cancel your old credit cards!
The Essential Plan is still a mystery to me.
If they will convert to this plan if you don't migrate-- my legacy LTE SIM plan doesn't show the Essential Plan as a voluntary upgrade offer in the dashboard, and so far I haven't found it anywhere in the legacy options.
Neither does it appear in the website Premium (cellular) options, although I don't have a Premium SIM to check if it's available from within the Premium dashboard.
If you didn't keep any records....
Check each email account you use and search for "FreedomPop". That will hopefully ID the account email addresses.
From there, log in to each account at my.freedompop.com, and see if there's a password reset option. (It should send to your email.)
If that doesn't work, the only other route I can think of is to gather the SIM card numbers and get in touch with FreedomPop. They were able to help me once when I fat-fingered the email address when signing up. I've had pretty good luck with their twitter support @FreedomPopHelp , but I've seen comments lately that Chat is working for the free accounts now.
Well it appears I'll have to finally close my FP free plan. It's still active tho I'm afraid to use it much in case they automatically changed me to the 25mb data plan. I don't have need for it was just wanting to keep that phone # since it pretty clean now.
It's too bad my ATT LG Phoenix can't be put on Tello PayG.
Switching to the new 25mb 'Premium' plan requires changing the SIM card, so this couldn't have happened behind your back. You're still on the old legacy free plan, for now..
The changes to the Tello pure PayGo plan ($20 top-up required every 90 days) kind of rule it out for backup/emergency anyway.
If you want a minimal cost AT&T backup line, the best thing to do is watch for a sale on the 1 year preloaded SIM cards from Tracfone's Ebay store. (Seller ID: tracfonewireless ) You have to check to make sure the offer is on the AT&T network, but they go on sale with some regularity between $30 and $40. (Once, for a few days, $20.)
If Verizon would work, you can get a Tracfone phone + 1 year pre-loaded for $35-$55 from HSN if you're a new customer and watch for a good 'new customer' promo code. You could buy the crappiest cheapest bundle, and then swap to the Phoenix (requires a $1 multi-network BYOD SIM kit) if you're happy with that phone.
I knew I would need to get new SIM but still wasn't sure they wouldn't try to drop my allotment or charge me as they now appear they'll do come May.
I don't really need to use that phone or even need an extra phone. It was just good to have on FP in case I needed a little extra data while away from home & ran out on my main phone.
I considered putting my Note on RedPocket $30/yr tmobile plan then using my Redpocket ATT SIM on the Phoenix. Or then using the Note on Tello PayG.
edit: since I just re-read your post about Tello PayG requiring $20 top up every 90 days putting phone on Tello won't be cost effective now.
Yeah, I don't 'need' my free FreedomPop lines, either-- except the one I have paired with a FreeUP voice/text SIM in a dual-SIM phone. I'll have to find some other solution for that phone, or just make it a talk/text glovebox phone. Like you, FP is a safety net for me, I'll manage without replacing them. .
FreedomPop support replied to a user on Reddit, and confirmed that the Essential Plan is not cellular voice, will still be on the legacy SIM, and that calling will be via the VoIP app. (Of course, one would have to source the VoIP app somewhere other than Google Play, since it's been pulled from there.)
(Forget what I said earlier about it looking like a reasonable offer. If data +VoIP is desired, T-Mobile Mobile Internet or Tello would be be a better choice if T-Mobile service is acceptable.)
Here is how I understand the new crap:
(1) there is still a free plan, but you have to upgrade to premium which involves with a new sim card, such free plan is 20min, 20txt, 20mb/month and you will bleed to death if overage occurs.
(2) the old 200mb/month free plan will be converted to a $3.99/month plan unless you cancel your account before May 1, 2021.
Am I right?
Where is this chat function you mentioned?
Good question...
It appears here: Contact Us | FreedomPop
I don't see the icon for it where indicated, though, even after logging in at my.freedompop.com I don't know if it's non-functional, or if it's not available on the weekend. (I've never used Chat before with FP.)
That looks right to me.
Add to (1) that the upgrade to premium looks like it costs $10 for a new SIM now, since the old link for a free SIM for existing users seems non-functional. Target has SIM kits for $5, and those would probably work.
Is the "cancel" function under setting still working? Thanks.
Guess what! They still have the cheek to sell their Free Plan, together with the "Free Trial" offers: SIM Card: Free SIM-Only Phone Service
Mostly yes. I do have one SIM that would not deactivate.
That does not sound good. So good bye to freedompop and my 100 dollar topup?