MVNO FreedomPop has launched a low-cost, “Wi-Fi centric” handset as it aims to win new subscribers for its free monthly plans.
The FreedomPop V7 costs £59 in the UK and €59 in Spain and comes with the standard FreedomPop SIM offering 200MB of free data, 200 minutes and 200 texts per month.
It has a 5-inch screen, runs on Android Marshmallow and a Snapdragon 210 processor and offers 16GB internal memory with 32GB micro SD card support.
According to FreedomPop, the smartphone is designed to be Wi-Fi centric, offering seamless switching between Wi-Fi and cellular and offering automatic Wi-Fi calling when connected to a strong network.
The device is available in the UK and Spain and is expected to launch in the US later this year.
Based in Los Angeles, FreedomPop currently offers its service in the US, UK and Spain. Its free plans offer a basic monthly allowance that can be expanded for a pre-paid fee in what the company has called a ‘freemium’ model.
FreedomPop runs on Three’s network in the UK and the Movistar and Orange networks in Spain. In the US it uses Sprint and AT&T.
“We want the entire FreedomPop experience to be simple, convenient and affordable for consumers, and that includes the device you use with your free plan,” said Nicholas Constantinopoulos, FreedomPop’s International President.
“In order to ensure everyone can get access to wireless service, it was important we offer a high-quality, full-featured Android phone at a price anyone can afford.”
[Read more: Q&A: FreedomPop CEO and Founder Stephen Stokols]