Cablevision’s Wi-Fi Mobile Phone Service Is Not for Everyone

Cablevision announced a $29 per month ($10 for existing Cablevision customers) Wi-Fi mobile phone service called Freewheel that offers unlimited calling and data, but only while on a Wi-Fi network.

Cablevision isn’t the first to pitch Wi-Fi as a low-cost alternative to traditional cellphone service, but most other players in the Wi-Fi calling market -- including FreedomPop and Republic Wireless -- have deals with cellular providers to use the networks as a fallback where Wi-Fi isn’t available, which is in a lot of places. Republic offers a $5-per-month Wi-Fi-only option, but only about 5 percent of Republic’s several hundred thousand customers sign up for that plan. And of those, 40 percent upgrade to an option with cellular coverage. As for not having a cellular network as a back-up option, Cablevision Chief Operating Officer Kristin Dolan said, "It was a conscious choice," noting that 93 percent of cellphone data is already being sent over Wi-Fi networks.