Which cheap device for free/almost free freedompop?

[mikeford]

Clearly a bit messy, but I think I know how to navigate through freedompop's "catches" for a very low cost, fairly low usage data plan.

Freedompop is free, but with some caveats, care in checking right boxes and hope you never need to call CS, which is required to cancel automatic charges etc. They sell various phones and hotspots, some as cheap as $57 shipped for a refurb, but also allow bring your own device. Needs to work on the Sprint network, something about Wiimax now and something else later.

Cheapest hotspot looks like a Sprint overdrive pro, used around $20, refurb from freedompop was $57 shipped with tax etc.

Cheap used smart phone would suit me fine as well, any suggestions?

 

[DesiPower]

Samsung Galaxy Light T399 for ~$100? its a pretty decent phone...

 

[mikeford]

I'm thinking cheaper, $50 or so as a target, the T399 does look nice so its a maybe for sure. Primary use will be as a hotspot using free to maybe $7 monthly service that uses VOIP for phone which may have less than ideal voice quality.

I want Android to play with some Android stuff, but planing on a Nexus5 or better for main usage phone and fancy Walmart/tmobile $30/mo data plan.

 

[mikeford]

Samsung Galaxy Light T399 for ~$100? its a pretty decent phone...

So far my Googling says t399 is Tmobile, doesn't work on Sprint which is what freedompop uses.

 

[ImDonly1]

The LTE model...
http://slickdeals.net/f/7190192-freedompop-lte-hotspot-803s-refurb-50-fs-neweggflash?v=1

The Wimax models (will not work sometime in 2015).
Overdrive pro, photon are $20-30. They can be had for free every once in a while.

Phones...
https://forums.freedompop.com/discu...phones-can-i-activate-with-freedompop-on-byod

 

[mikeford]

From the Freedompop site.

We now support these Sprint phones on BYOD:

Apple iPhone 4/4s and iPhone 5
HTC EVO 4G
Samsung Galaxy S II (Samsung Epic 4G Touch is the Sprint name)
Samsung Epic 4G
HTC Evo 3D
Samsung Nexus S
Samsung Galaxy Victory
Samsung Galaxy S3
Samsung Galaxy S4 (Except the Spark/Tri-Band edition, Model SPH-L720T)
Motorola Photon 4G
HTC Evo Shift (some users having issues activating at this time)
HTC Evo Design

But I think most anything that will work on Sprint will work, just not certain of it.

Freedompop is a PITA in so many ways, options that take a lot of work to turn off, or worse you don't turn them off at activation and need to call CS and wait hours to turn it off.

Two good reasons to BYOD buying it elsewhere; Freedompop seems to ship junk fairly often, and take weeks to do it.

OTOH it does seem like they resolve some pesky issues that ebay vendors might not, flashing phones etc.

Slickdeals offer on free hotspot has some caveats, one being a $20 activation fee, is that always lurking around, or do they shuffle costs in different offers?

 

[mikeford]

Popped for a deal directly from Freedompop on the Sprint Overdrive Pro for like $22 shipped and carefully turned off all the cost per month items. Took weeks to ship, tracking says its here this Thursday, then I find out if its useful.