Cablevision Launches WiFi Only Service in Feb

Cable and home internet provider Cablevision has announced that it will be launching a new WiFi only phone service called Freewheel next month. While the service will be focused and advertised mostly in the company’s home state of New York, it will be available nationwide via the website. However, unless you are a Cablevision customer, the service isn’t really going to be that great of a deal. There will only be one plan and it will include unlimited talk, text and data over WiFi and absolutely no cellular coverage. Freewheel will initially only be available on the Motorola Moto G phone, and customers will not be able to activate their own devices. However, the Moto G will be discounted to $99 on Freewheel’s website, which is a pretty sweet deal for such a great device. According to the press release, the Moto G will be preloaded with apps that will automatically authenticate and connect to Cablevision’s WiFi hotspots, allowing customers to have service without searching for networks. Cablevision customers (specifically Optimum Online customers) are going to get the best deal for this service, and will only have to pay $9.95/month for access. Non customers will be charged a whopping $29.95 per month to access the service. With companies like FreedomPop and Republic Wireless offering WiFi only services for $5 – $10, I’m not really sure how they expect to compete for new customers. Of course, you have to expect some mistakes on the part of Cablevision, as it will be the first cable company to offer voice services. For more information, visit the Freewheel website.]]>