You may have noticed that cable providers are setting up and offering more Wi-Fi hotspots around the city every day. We live in a generation of wanting, needing to be connected all the time. As these providers find ways to increase data speeds, more and more people rely on their mobile devices to stream videos, download data and essentially take full advantage of these fast, reliable speeds.
Cablevision Systems is an American cable television company with systems that service New York City and the Tri-State area. It is the eighth-largest cable provider in the U.S. Cablevision offers Optimum-branded digital cable television, high-speed Internet and voice services as well as Optimum Wi-Fi. You can now add one more thing to this list of services.
Last week the cable provider announced the availability of a new low cost, Wi-Fi-exclusive phone service, which it is calling Freewheel. The major selling point is that Freewheel is powered by the millions of Wi-Fi hotspots that are located all around the city. You will be able to talk, text, download, upload and stream videos from any location that has Wi-Fi.
Freewheel is made possible through the Optimum Wi-Fi network, which offers over a million hotspots in just the Tri-State area. You do not have to worry about losing messages, when you are on the move between hotspots. Freewheel is designed to constantly queue up your emails, voicemails and texts, which means that you can get them as soon as you enter the next hotspot.
Freewheel has been planned to automatically connect to the strongest Optimum Wi-Fi hotspot closest to you. In addition, it will switch seamlessly as you walk through the various hotspots. You can also add any locked Wi-Fi hotspot by entering the password. You simply have to type it in once and you will always be connected.
Kristin Dolan, who is the chief operating officer of Cablevision, said “Cellular was built for voice and Wi-Fi was built for data, which is why Wi-Fi is the preferred choice for data usage today. Freewheel integrates a high quality device backed by the strength of our professionally maintained carrier-grade Wi-Fi network. As the thirst for data continues to grow, Freewheel provides consumers with a better, faster data experience, all at a fraction of the cost of cellular.”
At this point, your options for devices are limited. The first offering comes in the form of the Motorola Moto G. The device boasts a 4.5 inch display, long lasting battery, quad-core speeds and the Android 4.4 KitKat operating system. Currently, the device is selling for $99.95, the service will cost extra.
Some of the features Cablevision boasts that you can expect to see from Freewheel include:
- Connectivity anywhere in the world where you are connected to Wi-Fi as well as automatic access to 1.1 million Optimum Wi-Fi hotspots across the New York Tri-State area, which include indoor and outdoor locations and an expanding network of residential hotspots
- A low monthly price of $29.95 or $9.95 for Cablevision’s Optimum Online customers, which is up to 80 percent less expensive than leading cellular offerings
- Availability on the Motorola Moto G, a popular Android device that was recently rated the “best low-cost smartphone” by The Wall Street Journal. The device is for sale at a heavily discounted price of $99.95
- Attractive international calling plans, a 30-day refund policy and no annual contract
- Truly unlimited data, talk and text, unlike many so-called “unlimited” cellular plans. Freewheel is always “all you can eat,” with no overage charges, ever.
Edited by
Maurice Nagle 
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