Freedom Mobile Review

 

 
If you don’t want to read the details, skip straight to our Recommendation
 

Freedom Mobile for those that don’t know is the new carrier released by Shaw Communications after buying Wind Mobile.

So one can essentially say it’s Wind Mobile however keep in mind that Shaw is heavily investing in this new wireless mobile carrier to really bring value to subscribers.

Freedom Mobile has over 1 million subscribers and comes in as the 4th largest carrier in Canada after the big boys.

Time will only tell if it has what it takes to compete with the big 3.

Shaw officially took over Wind Mobile on March 1, 2016, and they renamed it Freedom Mobile in November 2016.

The launch of Freedom’s 4G LTE service, of which coverage has been a hot topic, was also launched in November 2016.

A lot has changed since they originally launched.

They now offer ‘unlimited’ plans like the other wireless mobile carriers. However, reception and Freedom Mobile coverage still seem to be a hot topic.

Freedom is also launching a 5G service.

 

Freedom Mobile Coverage

When it comes to coverage with Freedom Mobile, they originally used to break out their options as either on the Home network, Variable network or Away network.

They now break out their network as Freedom and Freedom Nationwide.

Freedom:
Usually when you’re in major cities and the provinces which they have coverage which are Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta – access all the features available in your plan.

Freedom Nationwide:
Usually where Freedom does not have coverage which is outside major cities and you flip to a partner network – access almost all of the features of your data plan, the major limit being data.

 

So Is Freedom Mobile Reception Any Good?

Pros

Works pretty well if you’re in city centers.

4G LTE seems to be working well in city centres.

The price for the coverage is great if you rarely go outside of city centres.

 

Cons

If you travel between city centers i.e. Toronto to Ottawa there will be dead zones and roaming charges in between the two cities.

Go to the cottage often? Or Blue Mountain? The reception will be challenging.

4G LTE network still needs work outside of the city centers

 

According to the Freedom Mobile website, millions of Canadians now have access to fast LTE data.

In addition, they’ve also started to push their rollout of Extended LTE which is their Band 13 LTE (700MHZ low-band spectrum).

What Extended LTE means is you should get stronger coverage in areas where you currently get just ok coverage as this spectrum has a better ability to penetrate walls.

This should also help Freedom expand their network further. Extended LTE is available in the GTA and we’ve been seeing a lot of positive comments in regards to coverage.

 

So how is Freedom Mobile LTE?

Freedom Mobile’s LTE coverage has definitely already come a long way compared to when they first launched.

LTE coverage is now standard anywhere they offer service on their network so that’s a good step.

 

Freedom Mobile Plans

Before you review their plans, the Digital Discount is $5 off per month of eligible in-market plans.

• Activate a Pay After or Pay Before service
• Set up pre-authorized payments
• Use the Digital Discounts code
• Voila!

 
Freedom Mobile provides various ‘Big Gig Unlimited Data’ plans.

The plans include a variation of talk, text and a huge amount of data.

In terms of pricing, again this is the cheapest out of all carriers for this combination of data and talk!

We’ll highlight the Big Gig Unlimited 10 GB.

Freedom Network

1. Unlimited Talk
2. Unlimited Data
3. 10 GB + 10 GB Bonus
4. (Reduced speeds after 20 GB)

 

Freedom Nationwide

1. $0.05 per minute for the talk in Canada
2. Unlimited incoming calls
3. 500 MB of data

Full details on all plan offerings can be seen on the Freedom Mobile website.

 

Freedom Mobile also offers what they call Freedom Plans.

These plans start at only $15.

The Freedom 250 MB for example provides:

1. 250 MB of data
2. 100 minutes of nationwide calls
3. Unlimited incoming calls
4. Unlimited global text, picture and video messaging

 

Freedom Mobile initially offered discounts for multiple lines on the same account however these discounts have been removed in 2020.

 

Pros

All plans offer very good value for the monthly fee.

Unlimited data however they will cap the data to 256 kbps download and 128 kbps upload once you use the allotted amount.

 

Cons

Once you’re outside of the Freedom area you have much fewer data to use.

No roaming option to extend your plan for $7 – $12 per day the way Rogers and Telus offer – ‘Roam Like Home’.

 

Freedom Mobile Phones

Freedom Mobile runs Bring Your Own Phone offers where you can save an additional $5 or $10 per month off your monthly plan, so look out for these discounts.

Currently, if you activate online, you can get a $10 per month credit for 12 months if you Bring Your Own Phone.

Freedom Mobile offers the latest phones now from major brands such as Apple, Samsung, LG, Google and more.

 

What is MyTab?

Simply put, you pay a portion of your phone purchase upfront and put the rest of the phone cost on your ‘Tab’.

With MyTab you pay the remaining balance owing on the phone by adding a monthly payment for 24 months.

 

What is Absolute Zero?

Freedom initially did not have 2-year contracts which was a bonus, however with the introduction of their Absolute Zero offering, 2-year terms are back.

With Absolute Zero, you can choose from a specified list of phones and pay:

1. $0 upfront for the phone
2. $0 extra months for the phone
3. $0 additional payments for the phone after the 2-year term is complete

 
A few of the phone choices currently include:

1. iPhone 11
2. iPhone SE
3. Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G

Most other carriers have now gone to the same model as Freedom where you essentially pay off the phone over 24 months.

BYOP: Keep in mind that you can also Bring Your Own Phone!

You will save $120 ($10 per month for 12 months) when you activate your own phone on a new line on a Big Gig plan.

You can use any compatible phone you may already have or you can purchase a used phone as well to be used on the Freedom network.

 

Pros

You get 24 months to pay off your phone of choice.

They have the latest Apple and Samsung mobile devices which are absolutely beautiful.

 

Cons

None really as long as you understand that paying $0 today doesn’t mean a free phone.

 

So is Freedom Mobile worth it?

In our opinion, having a fourth major carrier in Canada is great for competition.

The plans Freedom Mobile offers, especially the Big Gig plans provide the most amazing value for money available in the market.

The fact that they now offer iPhones is amazing.

The reception may not have been the greatest when they launched but we’re hearing it’s getting better and better, especially if you’re based in the city.

Overall, we think Freedom Mobile is an excellent choice!

 

Recommendation

1. Great for those who want large amounts of data
2. Good for those who are usually in the city/close to the core
3. Cheaper than the big 3 (on a straight up plan for plan basis)

 

Any downsides? Who is Freedom Not For?

1. If you spend a lot of time at the cottage or in rural areas
2. if you’re on the road a lot traveling between larger cities and smaller towns
3. If reception is imperative to your job function, such as for salespeople where a missed call can be detrimental

 

Other Trusted Mobile Carriers

 

Koodo

Koodo has been rated as one of the best customer service companies in Canada. If you need assistance with your phone or account, Koodo is definitely a company you can trust. So be at ease that you’re getting the best, and not the worst customer service, which is what we often do get with others.

Chatr

Chatr offers fast data speeds, reaching up to 3G speeds. This makes Chatr a great choice for anyone looking for a fast and reliable connection. Whether you’re browsing the internet, streaming music or videos, or just need to stay connected with friends and family, Chatr has you covered.

Public Mobile

Public Mobile is Canada’s newest wireless carrier, and it’s also the cheapest.  Public Mobile’s 3G speed is only 3mbps which may not sound very fast, but it’s still fast enough for most people to stream high-quality audio without any problems. Public Mobile isn’t as well-known as some major carriers, but with low prices, it’s sure to attract many new customers.

Virgin Mobile

Virgin Mobile Canada is a good cell phone service provider which offer a variety of plans that include talk, text, and data. Virgin Mobile also have a good selection of phones to choose from. They use the Sprint network, which is one of the largest in the country. This means that you should get good coverage pretty much anywhere.

Lucky Mobile

Lucky Mobile is a subsidiary of Bell Canada and operates on the Bell network. Lucky Mobile is good in Canada because it has low rates, good coverage, and the ability to bring your own phone. Lucky Mobile is a prepaid service, so there are no contracts and no surprises. You can buy a Lucky Mobile SIM card at most convenience stores or order one online.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Freedom Mobile