FreedomPop
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founder | Stephen Stokols, Steven Sesar |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Key people | Stephen Stokols (CEO) |
| Products | Mobile virtual network operator services, wireless Internet, mobile phones, tablets, broadband devices |
| Parent | STS Media Inc (until June 2019), then acquired by Red Pocket Mobile |
| Website | www |
FreedomPop is a mobile virtual network operator and wireless Internet provider based in Los Angeles, California. Initially, the company delivered "free" IP mobile services that included data, texting, and VoIP, along with compatible mobile phones, tablets, and broadband devices. Since 2024, FreedomPop transitioned away from no-cost plans to affordable packages designed for senior and retired users with limited requirements for data, calls, and messaging.
Established by CEO Stephen Stokols and Steven Sesar, FreedomPop was under the ownership of STS Media Inc until its successful acquisition in June 2019. Its operations utilize networks such as T-Mobile and AT&T in the United States, Three in the United Kingdom, Yoigo in Spain, and Telcel in Mexico, supporting its presence across key international markets.
History
FreedomPop was launched in 2011 by Stephen Stokols, who serves as CEO, alongside Steven Sesar. Prior to founding FreedomPop, Stokols led the startup Woo Media as CEO. The company initially partnered with LightSquared in 2011 but discontinued this collaboration after LightSquared failed to obtain FCC approval. In October 2012, FreedomPop introduced 4G-only mobile hotspots providing internet access via Clearwire's 4G network. By the end of that year, approximately 20% of users on free plans had upgraded to paid subscriptions.
In July 2012, FreedomPop secured $7.5 million in funding led by Mangrove Capital and Doll Capital Management. The following year in April 2013, it teamed up with Sprint to broaden its coverage to include both 3G and 4G services on Sprint-compatible devices. This was followed by a $4.3 million Series A1 funding round in July 2013. By October 2013, the company rolled out a beta version of a free mobile phone plan encompassing voice, text, and data services. Additionally, November 2013 marked the introduction of a bring-your-own-device program for phones compatible with Sprint’s network.
Throughout 2014, FreedomPop expanded its offerings and geographic reach: April saw support for Sprint-compatible iPhones and launch of an iOS app providing voice, text, and voicemail functionality; by May, LTE-enabled Android smartphones were supported. The company also planned to introduce SIM-based services in Belgium through collaboration with Dutch carrier KPN but refrained from selling devices outside the United States. In July that year, free plans including 4G data, voice calls, and texts were extended to tablet users such as those with iPad Mini and Samsung Tab 3 devices. October brought the release of FreedomPop’s own branded budget smartphones and tablets, beginning with the FreedomPop Liberty—a 7-inch Wi-Fi tablet offering complimentary voice and SMS services.
In June 2019, FreedomPop’s remaining retail operations and brand were acquired by Red Pocket Mobile along with its GSMA customer assets; financial details were not disclosed. By July 2019, customers were informed that their phone numbers had been migrated to MVNO Ting Mobile following an agreement between FreedomPop and UNREAL Mobile to transfer Sprint network subscribers to Ting.
Expansion
January 2015 marked FreedomPop’s launch of the first nationwide aggregated WiFi network providing unlimited voice, text, and WiFi access for $5 monthly. By May of that year, the company entered the UK market offering SIM-only plans with free data, voice, and text messaging. Later in 2015, FreedomPop introduced both free and low-cost iPhone plans within the US market along with intentions to retail the iPhone 6S. It also debuted its free mobile service in the UK while partnering with Intel to create a WiFi-centric smartphone capable of seamlessly switching between WiFi and cellular networks during calls.
Regarding financing milestones, June 2015 saw a $30 million Series B investment led by Partech Ventures followed by an additional $10 million from Axiata in July. Intel also invested later that year to support a broadband service intended as a competitor to Google Project Fi. Early in 2016, FreedomPop raised $50 million through Series C funding aimed at accelerating global expansion efforts; total capital raised surpassed $109 million.
In April 2016, Spain became FreedomPop’s third market after launching its free mobile platform there; by August it offered zero-rated WhatsApp usage across more than 30 countries. By November 2017, the company had partnered with Target to distribute handsets, SIM cards, and services through approximately 1,100 retail locations. In 2018, FreedomPop extended its business model into financial services by licensing its customer conversion platform to Prudential Financial.
These strategic initiatives underscore FreedomPop’s focus on disruptive pricing models combined with international growth and partnerships designed to strengthen market positioning and competitive edge.
Services
FreedomPop primarily caters to "light users" by providing complimentary basic plans alongside paid options that include unlimited calls, texts, and high-speed data. When the "Unlimited Everything Plan" was introduced in May 2014, it offered 4G LTE data with speed throttling applied after 1 GB per billing cycle. By June 2015, the throttled speeds were further reduced depending on the customer’s signup date. Service availability is confined to specific regions, generally delivering solid network coverage, though call quality can vary.
In January 2016, FreedomPop unveiled a "Global SIM" roaming solution available in the US and UK markets through partnerships with Fogg Mobile and major carriers such as AT&T and T-Mobile. Although there were intentions to extend roaming services to Southeast Asia and Latin America, the UK roaming offering was terminated by October 2018 due to partner-related performance shortcomings, prompting users to transition to domestic LTE SIM cards.
November 2016 marked the debut of FreedomShop across the US, UK, Mexico, and Spain, offering refurbished smartphones at discounts up to 80% off retail prices—a strategic initiative aimed at broadening their product and service portfolio.
In July 2017, FreedomPop introduced a $4.99 Speed Boost feature that limited free users on Sprint’s network to speeds of 1 Mbit/s while paid subscribers could access up to 5 Mbit/s; this policy did not impact users of Global or LTE SIMs. Toward the end of 2017 and continuing into 2018, data rewards from the Freedom Friends referral program were drastically reduced—from an initial maximum of 1000 MB down to merely 50 MB—diminishing user incentives.
By October 2020, FreedomPop revamped its business approach by launching native cellular services that removed the necessity for its Messaging app for voice calls and texting. Enhanced capabilities included FaceTime over cellular networks, support for leading banking applications, and unlimited iMessages and RCS messaging over WiFi. The free tier was restricted to a monthly allowance of 10 voice minutes, 10 text messages, and 25 MB of LTE data.
As of December 2020, FreedomPop SIM cards required devices running Android 4.3 or iOS 8.2 or newer; traditional feature phones were no longer supported.
By June 2024, the company discontinued all free and freemium offerings, transitioning to a foundational plan priced at $10 per month for 1GB of high-speed 5G data—reflecting a strategic shift toward sustainable revenue generation amid a competitive market environment.
Recognition
In 2015, The Economist spotlighted FreedomPop's "Wi-Fi first" technology that prioritizes calls and texts over Wi-Fi connections. Meanwhile, Engadget commended FreedomPop’s UK SIM-only service for delivering strong signal reception, positioning it as a compelling alternative to established carriers.
Billing
According to FreedomPop’s terms of service, any attempt to dispute charges through financial institutions results in immediate service termination.
Networks
FreedomPop utilizes T-Mobile’s and AT&T’s networks within the United States. The company expanded internationally in 2015 by launching services in the UK using Three’s network. Early in 2016 saw the introduction of a global SIM providing free data access across 25 countries including the US and UK. Later that year, an LTE SIM operating on AT&T's network was rolled out.
In January 2018, customers were informed that the Globe SIM would carry a $4.99 monthly fee with advice to switch to the LTE GSM SIM to avoid this charge. By September 2018, LTE SIM users needed to keep a non-refundable $20 "top-off" balance for the "Basic 200 free" plan; unused balances expired after 30 days and exceeding data limits resulted in additional fees.
| Network | Sample Offering | Technology | Data from Free Plan | IP Address | Voice Communication | Roaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | LTE GSM SIM | 4G/GSM | 25MB | US | Cellular Voice or VoIP | No |
| Three | 4G SIM | 4G/GSM | 200MB | UK | Cellular Voice or VoIP | No |
| Orange with MásMóvil Platform | 4G SIM | 4G/GSM | 200MB | ES | Cellular Voice or VoIP | No |
| Telcel | 4G SIM | 4G/GSM | 100MB | MX | Cellular or VoIP | Yes |