Following the success of its free mobile service in the US and the UK, FreedomPop has announced its plans to launch in Spain.
freedompopWith WhatsApp accounting for more than 90% of texting in Spain, FreedomPop will zero-rate the app to offer free data for any WhatsApp usage, offering a brand-new path for supporting mobile video usage.
Beginning this summer, users can plug a FreedomPop SIM into their device, and FreedomPop will subsidise any data used by WhatsApp. FreedomPop will also offer standard free voice, text and data to users. FreedomPop will also offer users free roaming across 31 countries, including the US, UK, Germany, France, Portugal and Italy.
“With more than 70% of Spain’s mobile consumers using WhatsApp, it has completely cannibalised traditional mobile services in Spain and shaped a unique opportunity for companies looking to embrace the new OTT world we live in,” said Steven Sesar, FreedomPop COO and co-founder. “We’re creating a new mobile business model by leveraging WhatsApp’s success to ensure anyone can communicate 100% free, simply by covering the data bill for WhatsApp.”
Using WhatsApp, FreedomPop expects larger traction in Spain, targeting 500,000 to one million Spanish users within two years.
“Since we announced our intention to expand to Europe a year ago, we have received tens of thousands of requests from Spanish citizens to bring our service to Spain. Today we are happy to bring those users Spain’s first real free option,” added Sesar.
FreedomPop plans to continue its international expansion by launching in additional countries by the end of the year, either by partnering with existing mobile carriers or “disrupting entirely new markets via unique models,” it said.
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