FreedomPop's Home Broadband Router Launches With Promises Of Free

If there's one industry that could stand to be disrupted, it's probably the pay-TV industry, but if there's another, it's the home broadband industry. Not surprisingly, these two are often joined at the hip, offered in "bundles" by the same ISP. FreedomPop has set out to rearrange the equation, and the latest from the company is a pretty big promise: "free home broadband." This week, the company announced the public availability of its new Burst home router device, offering 100 percent free high-speed Internet in the home or small office. FreedomPop's new home broadband device provides speeds faster than typical DSL and comparable with most major cable providers. The Burst wireless modem router is $89 and requires no additional installation requirements, contracts or cancellation fees, and can connect up to 10 devices wirelessly. The catch?


Well, it uses WiMAX for now, though the company hopes to switch to LTE later this year. FreedomPop home users will receive 1 GB of free data each month and can earn unlimited data by adding friends to their network via email and social media networks, and engaging in partner promotions. The company also offers heavier data users a variety of cost-effective plans, starting at under $10 per month – 80 percent cheaper than today's DSL or cable offerings.

So, this won't be useful for those who do much more than check e-mail, but for your grandmother? Probably a solid way for her to stay in touch with the extended family.