We don't know what's going to be offered via Red Pocket (for GSM) or Ting (CDMA). I'm planning on sticking around to see, but it's always useful to have some contingency plans in mind-- so I thought dedicated thread might be in order.
This offer is only available through Tracfone's Ebay store.
$80 for a ZTE 291C hotspot and a 360 day plan with 10GB of data. (For the year). That works out to 833mb average per month, for $6.66/month. Seems like an attractive price.
Net10 uses all 4 networks: the model # with C suffix is typically used by the Tracfone Group to indicate Verizon network. I've sent an inquiry, and will update. (The ZTE 291 itself seems to be 3-carrier capable: AT&T, T-Mo, Vzw.-- but the Ebay listing doesn't allow you to choose between the networks.)
I also do not know if it's possible to move the SIM to a different device (i.e., a phone.).
Possibly a very short term (one month) solution is T Mobile $45 plan for $1. Must have a new unused T Mobile compatible sim card. Should work with tethering capable phones, but not sure about hotspots. Too bad one could not get a bundle of T Mobile sim cards and pay $1 a month using a new sim card every month for many months.
For those with a Sprint-network phone--
I'm going to wait to see what Ting's offer is, but Hello Mobile looks pretty good as a replacement.
The base plan is $5/mo for 250 minutes/unlimited text, 250 mb: OR 0 minutes/unlimited text/500mb
OR 500 minutes/unlimited text/0 data.
FreedomPop has been problematic in the past with releasing phones, sometimes requiring Support assistance to get it done. If you wait for Ting to take control, this should be easy.
I do wonder about devices purchased from FreedomPop/Unreal. These are MEID-locked to FreedomPop, I think for 6 months. In an ideal world, these would all be unlocked from FreedomPop when transferred to Ting (or really anywhere else, now)-- but if that's FreedomPop's responsibility, it might not be smooth.
It seems like freeup is the best
unlimited calling, and 2gb a month for $20
And if you print out 7 coupons a day , you make $20 a month, so the service is free
FreeUP is great-- and I use it. It's a good solution for those with AT&T-compatible phones.
My Hello Mobile suggestion was for those with Sprint-network phones. Tello is always very competitive for Sprint network, but even with the new price structure Hello Mobile appears to have a very slightly lower cost for the lowest-tier 3-bucket plan, with allotments that may work better for those who rely more on cellular voice than text..
(As an aside-- I love that Tello goes out of their way to include existing customers in any price drop, without playing any games. The only time it didn't seem to work out to everyone's advantage was when they switched their 'unlimited text included' from being paired with data, to being paired with minutes. There were a number of us here who started with hybrid plans with minimal data, the smallest text bucket, and minutes from a PayGo desposit. Tello grandfathered that arrangement for existing accounts-- at a price drop!-- but any temporary change to the plan means it's lost for good.)
I got the Tello email this morning also. I like Tello, but put my brothers Sprint device on Red Pocket month or so ago. Seems Tello might be trying to compete with RP to grab some of those FP people.
Red Pocket just ran their 100min/100sms/500mb per month when purchasing yearly plan for $50, not sure if it's still on sale now or not. I almost jumped on it but FP LTE free plan was still working good for me. Now I hope RP has something like that or even better, if the FP free plan goes away.
