This Could Be the Next Big Thing in SmartPhone Service.

Could be very interesting…

Ever get tired of paying your huge smartphone bill every month? Of course you do. If you’ve ever wished to live in a world where smartphone service was free, today is the day your dreams come true.

FreedomPop just announced plans for the first-ever completely free mobile service. That means free voice calls, free texts, and free data.

That’s right: Free. Of course, you don’t get a ton of talk time or data. FreedomPop will give you 500MB of 4G data, unlimited texting, and 200 voice minutes each month. In addition to this, all calls between FreedomPop members will be free.

It sounds crazy, but we’ve already seen FreedomPop successfully offer free service before, with its Freedom Spot Photon and Freedom Spot Overdrive hotspots, and Freedom Sleeve Rocket case for the iPod touch. Those devices offer 500MB of free 4G WiMAX data on Clear’s network, with the ability to earn more data for free or pay for additional data at a much lower price than you’ll find on any of the big-four carriers.

FreedomPop’s phone plan will use the same service model as those devices, which means you can still earn additional free data by completing surveys, downloading programs, and referring friends. You can also pay for a contract-free monthly plan if you want additional data. FreedomPop will also offer unlimited voice calls for $9.99 per month.

So in addition to data, how is FreedomPop able to add voice into the mix? By using VoIP, which allows you to make phone calls over the Internet. FreedomPop will be the first carrier to offer all-data devices running 100 percent VoIP over cellular networks. “The quality of over-the-top VoIP services is now at a stage where we can deliver the major mobile services completely free to consumers,” said Stephen Stokols, FreedomPop’s CEO and co-founder.

FreedomPop will offer 3G and 4G LTE service over Sprint’s network, as well as 4G WiMAX on Clear. The phones may launch on 3G and WiMAX only until Sprint completes its nationwide LTE rollout. It should be noted that Clear’s 4G WiMAX is only available in a limited number of areas. Sprint’s 3G network is nationwide, but painfully slow data speeds may hinder your ability to successfully make a call over VoIP.

There’s no word yet on what phones will be offered, other than that they will be “popular models consumers are familiar with.” The good news is that this service will also be available on select Sprint phones as well. Users will have to download an update that will set a native dialer and change the phone’s branding.

FreedomPop is looking to officially launch the service and phones later this summer. If you’re interested, you can sign up for early access now at FreedomPop.com/phone. We’re looking forward to get our hands on the phones and putting the service to the test.

By Alex Colon, PCMag.com