Freedom Mobile. Anyone on it?

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Let me chime in here with a suggestion:
Take an old phone. Get a sim card from Freedom and try it for a month.
The reason I say this is because even at my work, 2 people side by side, same model phone, same settings, one gets reception with Freedom, the other does not.
That being said, when the time comes to get a plan for my kid, that's probably where he will end up.

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I think the important thing is getting a phone from Freedom. Some other phones might not work as well.
 
RockerGuy said:
I think the important thing is getting a phone from Freedom. Some other phones might not work as well.
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I've used a variety of different phones (both iPhone and Android) on Freedom and have had good success with all - so long as they support the proper bands. Before using anything make sure the bands are compatible, however...but really, most are, especially since they lit up their LTE bands to bring the iPhone "officially" onboard.

FWIW both of my adult kids are on Freedom as well (both also on iPhones, one 5SE, and a 6) and both have great results. We've all been using iPhones on their network for years before it was even officially supported.

FWIW with Freedom having rolled out their LTE across most of the GTA now (even my iPhone went live on LTE about 2 weeks back) their handset support is pretty broad. The only differences then may be the actual antennas on the phones and band support- that'd explain Joe's example above - one phone had a good antenna and/or supported more band options, the other might have had a crappy antenna or wouldn't connect to as many bands that might have allowed it to stay connected.

Ultimately, as both myself and Joe suggested, best bet is to just get a SIM and try it out before committing. That's what I did. I would NOT have been happy with the Wind of 3-4 years ago, and maybe not even the Freedom of 1 year ago, but now it's a maturing network. Not a huge fan of Shaw as a whole, but I will admit they've dumped a TON of money into the Freedom network in the last 4-8 months that's made it a whole different experience.
 
The only regret for me is not joining them earlier. My bill has been pretty consistent since joining them. I was pretty pizzed off at roger's for scamming me for 10 yrs.

However, I am not impressed with shaw buying them.
 
RockerGuy said:
However, I am not impressed with shaw buying them.
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Double edged sword - the network wouldn't have improved so dramatically in the last few months if it wasn't for Shaw's money having been injected into the company, no question - network improvements were a long painfully slow slog before, now things are happening at a blistering pace, especially the LTE rollout which wasn't initially supposed to happen until next year.

But yeah, the long term picture is admittedly iffy now with regards to price increases - my goal was to get myself locked in on a set of absolutely unbeatable plans, and then keep them forever, and ever, and ever - our 2 lines for $67/Month (tax in) with pretty much unlimited everything fits that bill. To have both lines with all those benefits at a cost of less than half of what I was regularly paying for my old line with Fido every month (after my inevitable data overages) is the cherry on top for me.
 
I’m on an iphone SE and have been with Freedom since mid-2016 on their 3G network.
In addition to introducing the new LTE Band 66 which was not iphone compatible, Freedom is in the process of upgrading its existing 3G bands to LTE Band 4 so eventually most older LTE phones (including iphone) will work on LTE. New iphones (X, 8, 8 plus) already work on band 66.

Here’s the timeline:
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I don’t expect to see LTE in Oakville until early next year but I know it’s coming. My family will be happy to see the faster network.

If you’re planning to test out the network, you may still see 3G speeds in your area so keep that in mind.
 
^^ The Toronto area is coming online with LTE rapidly as I mentioned a few posts back - that list isn’t accurate anymore, at least the Toronto bit. You’ll see it sooner than you think - it might already be live actually, just make sure your iPhone is configured for it (and LTE is enabled) as it won’t switch otherwise.

I’m out on the eastern edge of their service area and am live on LTE on my i7 as I type this. Speed tests show 25-55 meg speeds - way better than the old 3G service.
 
It’s configured and LTE-enabled. I’m all set here.

Just pointing out to the OP and others thinking of testing the network that the LTE network upgrade is a work-in-progress.
 
I can't get LTE on my S5. Then again, I am due for a software upgrade.
 
Robbo said:
It’s configured and LTE-enabled. I’m all set here.

Just pointing out to the OP and others thinking of testing the network that the LTE network upgrade is a work-in-progress.
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I had to enter the LTE APN settings manually - I’d never bothered to put them in before as there was no point, and they were not there. You also have to make sure you’re using the new internet.freedommobile.ca apn’s, not the old Wind ones as well IIRC.

I had to do a “channel discovery” or something like that before my phone would hit the LTE network. Was given those directions by a Freedom rep.

*#5005*7672# and hit send.

Then I rebooted, and boom, LTE.
 
I've been with Wind now for 5 or 6 years now. I've got an awesome plan and have held onto it for a while, but the minute I'm out of school I'm dropping it. I can walk to the same spot day after day and not get service, and then all of a sudden, service! And then the next day, its gone. It's a good time when it was my desk at work... I think of Wind like an abusive relationship, glimpses of hope that never really turn into anything.

The new Wind Tab or whatever they call it is a joke, and the main reason I'll switch. Take a $50 plan and then add another $10-35/month BOOST! to pay off your phone, and now you're paying Bell prices for Wind service. Any if I buy the damn thing outright (Pixel 2 XL) it's cheaper to go with one of the big three (for a 24mo contract). So I'm stuck with my Moto X Play that I snagged a few months before the Tab switch.

In Grade 7 I remember being one of the first customers for Koodo, had a $15/month phone plan with a KRZR. This isn't my first rodeo with being one of the first "backers" for a phone company. Wind/Freedom will turn out like Koodo and the rest of them. Enter the market cheap af and slowly raise prices until its not worth the effort of dealing with them. And unless you are using large amounts of data, I'd say that's right about now.

EDIT: Because I didn't really answer your question, I should add that while I have the option for LTE, I won't upgrade because of their prices. The rest of my family is on it, and its still the same service woes, just faster.
 
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48Connor said:
I've been with Wind now for 5 or 6 years now. I've got an awesome plan and have held onto it for a while, but the minute I'm out of school I'm dropping it. I can walk to the same spot day after day and not get service, and then all of a sudden, service!.
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Sounds to me like a hardware issue, not a network issue – what phone are you using?.

Regardless, if you do leave, I think after five or six years with freedom you may find the offerings elsewhere a little unpalatable now – small data buckets and staggering data overage fees are the new cash cows for the big three, including their flanker brands. I’m so glad to be finally rid of that myself, I could never imagine going back.
 
PrivatePilot said:
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I had to enter the LTE APN settings manually - I’d never bothered to put them in before as there was no point, and they were not there. You also have to make sure you’re using the new internet.freedommobile.ca apn’s, not the old Wind ones as well IIRC.

I had to do a “channel discovery” or something like that before my phone would hit the LTE network. Was given those directions by a Freedom rep.

*#5005*7672# and hit send.

Then I rebooted, and boom, LTE.
Click to expand...

It’s a lot more straight-forward as of yesterday. Freedom mobile released an “iPhone carrier update” that takes care of all the config changes automatically.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Sounds to me like a hardware issue, not a network issue – what phone are you using?.

Regardless, if you do leave, I think after five or six years with freedom you may find the offerings elsewhere a little unpalatable now – small data buckets and staggering data overage fees are the new cash cows for the big three, including their flanker brands. I’m so glad to be finally rid of that myself, I could never imagine going back.
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Moto X Play. Don't know what's causing it. I would find it weird if it was hardware, I think its just their network. Trying to rent the least amount of towers to cover the largest area.

Don't get me wrong, there has been some major improvements since I first joined, and I couldn't imagine paying $80ish/month for a phone plan compare to the $25 with unlimited everything that I pay now for all those years. I remember when Courtice was the East-end cut-off. Want to go to Bowmanville? To bad. And roaming was like $0.5/Mb or something so I didn't even turn roaming on.

I'd be more inclined to stay if they didn't cheap out upgrade to 4G, in only allowing certain bands.
 
I have them, use the HTC phone that came with the deal. I got mine 2 years ago, a month before they changed from Wind to Freedom. The service 2 years ago was OK but not perfect in the GTA, terrible outside. Over the last year it's improved a lot, I have no complaints. I pay $39.95/mo for the phone and unlimited Canada wide calling, text, voicemail, and data. I switched solely on price and because I rarely use my phone for calling.

Check reviews online, they are not perfect - mileage and dependability is based on where you live and travel.
 
48Connor said:
Moto X Play. Don't know what's causing it. I would find it weird if it was hardware, I think its just their network. Trying to rent the least amount of towers to cover the largest area.

Don't get me wrong, there has been some major improvements since I first joined, and I couldn't imagine paying $80ish/month for a phone plan compare to the $25 with unlimited everything that I pay now for all those years. I remember when Courtice was the East-end cut-off. Want to go to Bowmanville? To bad. And roaming was like $0.5/Mb or something so I didn't even turn roaming on.

I'd be more inclined to stay if they didn't cheap out upgrade to 4G, in only allowing certain bands.
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i'm not involved in this scene but it sounds like you could be shooting yourself in the foot by leaving now with the deal you have. Just wait it out while the network is very obviously being upgraded and reap the reward of your five years of patience with their iffy service.
 
fastar1 said:
i'm not involved in this scene but it sounds like you could be shooting yourself in the foot by leaving now with the deal you have. Just wait it out while the network is very obviously being upgraded and reap the reward of your five years of patience with their iffy service.
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Or he could just give me his plan.

Don't blame a guy for taking an opportunity.
 
48Connor said:
Moto X Play. Don't know what's causing it. I would find it weird if it was hardware, I think its just their network.
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I would try a different handset before blaming it on the network. Having service in the same spot one day, and not the next doesn't sound like a network issue - the towers don't change location or strength, or turn on and off randomly. If you have a friend with an old phone they're not using any more see if they'll loan it to you for a few days and see if you find a difference. I suspect you will.

As for their out of network coverage, I've found it good. Face it, they don't have a network outside of their own, so you're roaming on the Big3. Yes, it's not a graceful handoff between their home network and roaming, and sometimes your phone tries to hold onto the home network for far too long before giving up and switching, but again, I consider that one of the minor inconveniences of saving a few hundred $$$ every month between both of our lines.

48Connor said:
and I couldn't imagine paying $80ish/month for a phone plan compare to the $25 with unlimited everything that I pay now for all those years. .
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$80/Month on a the Big3 will get you a plan with a few gigs and steep data overages. After becoming used to 8-10 gigs at full speed, and no cost overages (at a reduced speed, sure, but whatever) you'll soon find yourself paying $150/month or more to enjoy the same amount.
 
Ashtonator said:
Thanks for the feedback. When did you try it? Was it recently? And what area?
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August of this year.

West gta, Etobicoke, Mississauga. The moment i hit 427 north of 401 it was all downhill. Wife works in brampton and i gave it to her for a couple days, same result.
 
Thanks a lot for all your detailed feedback guys.

I think im gonig to do what some suggested and get a temp sim. I will report back once i have a decent amount of time with it to see how it performs.

Just a little update though. My brother got a temp line 3 days ago and standing side by side with him in Mississauga, his LTE on Freedom was about 70-80% faster than my Fido LTE when we ran a speed test.

Thanks again for the replies and ill update here once i get a little time with the network.
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