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frontpageWackyP posted Jan 31, 2025 05:23 AM
frontpageWackyP posted Jan 31, 2025 05:23 AM

Helium Mobile Zero Plan w/ 100 Minutes Talk, 300 Texts + 3GB Data Per Month

(ID Verification & Location Sharing Req.)

Free

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Deal Details
Helium Mobile has Helium Mobile Zero Plan w/ 100 Minutes Talk, 300 Texts & 3GB of Data (per month) for Free when you Bring Your Own Device and follow the instructions below by using code BREAKFREE at signup.

Thanks to community member WackyP for finding this deal.

Deal Instructions:
  1. An unlocked T-Mobile-compatible device is required.
  2. Download the Helium Mobile app (Android / iOS)
  3. Open the app and when prompted, enter invite-only code BREAKFREE
  4. Proceed through the setup process by proving the following details:
    • Valid email address
    • Your name, home address and date of birth
    • Complete the identity security check using a valid government-issued ID (i.e. a driver's license) and taking a 'selfie' photo.
  5. No credit card or other payment info is required for this free plan.
  6. You may select eSIM or physical SIM card activation (SIM card ships free).
  7. Your monthly Zero Plan w/ 100 talk minutes, 300 texts and 3GB of data will be Free

How is Helium Mobile able to offer a free phone plan? (source)
  • "Helium Mobile's free plan is made possible with its community-built network, a new type of infrastructure that is less expensive than legacy carriers. In exchange for the free plan, you'll share your anonymized location data, enabling the community to create coverage where it's most needed."
Plan Features (per month):
  • 100 minutes talk
  • 300 texts
  • 3GB of high-speed data (4G LTE/5G)
    • Note: hotspot data is not available on the free Zero plan.
  • No credit card needed
  • You may port your existing number to Helium Mobile if desired
  • Earn Rewards with Cloud Points
    • Redeem points for gift cards to travel, dining, and other experiences.
  • Helium Mobile operates on the T-Mobile network

Editor's Notes

Written by RevOne | Staff
  • Click here to read the Frequently Asked Questions page for more details.
  • Please see the original post for additional details & give the WIKI and additional forum comments a read for helpful discussion.

Original Post

Written by WackyP
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Helium Mobile has Helium Mobile Zero Plan w/ 100 Minutes Talk, 300 Texts & 3GB of Data (per month) for Free when you Bring Your Own Device and follow the instructions below by using code BREAKFREE at signup.

Thanks to community member WackyP for finding this deal.

Deal Instructions:
  1. An unlocked T-Mobile-compatible device is required.
  2. Download the Helium Mobile app (Android / iOS)
  3. Open the app and when prompted, enter invite-only code BREAKFREE
  4. Proceed through the setup process by proving the following details:
    • Valid email address
    • Your name, home address and date of birth
    • Complete the identity security check using a valid government-issued ID (i.e. a driver's license) and taking a 'selfie' photo.
  5. No credit card or other payment info is required for this free plan.
  6. You may select eSIM or physical SIM card activation (SIM card ships free).
  7. Your monthly Zero Plan w/ 100 talk minutes, 300 texts and 3GB of data will be Free

How is Helium Mobile able to offer a free phone plan? (source)
  • "Helium Mobile's free plan is made possible with its community-built network, a new type of infrastructure that is less expensive than legacy carriers. In exchange for the free plan, you'll share your anonymized location data, enabling the community to create coverage where it's most needed."
Plan Features (per month):
  • 100 minutes talk
  • 300 texts
  • 3GB of high-speed data (4G LTE/5G)
    • Note: hotspot data is not available on the free Zero plan.
  • No credit card needed
  • You may port your existing number to Helium Mobile if desired
  • Earn Rewards with Cloud Points
    • Redeem points for gift cards to travel, dining, and other experiences.
  • Helium Mobile operates on the T-Mobile network

Editor's Notes

Written by RevOne | Staff
  • Click here to read the Frequently Asked Questions page for more details.
  • Please see the original post for additional details & give the WIKI and additional forum comments a read for helpful discussion.

Original Post

Written by WackyP

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Top Comments

JediNick23
58 Posts
30 Reputation
If someone asked me how to make a free mobile data plan, my very first thought would be "control its DNS, packet-inspect everything on my network so I can tell who's doing what, sell that info to data brokers, advertisers, marketing agencies, etc., and insert enough legalese to my long-AF-that-nobody-reads-it terms of service that it's totally OK for me to do that." Classic case of "if it's free, it's because you are the product."

If you think I'm joking, check your own current paid ISP plan's terms of service. Non-trivial probability they're already doing similar to you, at least if you're not protected by something like the EU's GDPR.

Is that what's going on here, or is their business model different somehow?
Satoshi_N
248 Posts
46 Reputation
Right now their 20$ a month plan turns out to cost a couple of dollars a month if you opt in to their location tracking. They are trying to build a network of hotpots to fill in what traditional cell towers miss. Turn on tracking and they map whenever they hit one of their hotspots. Then they try to get new ones in empty areas.

Anyways...So they will pay you in their crypto token., Which they then accept as payment.Or you can sell yourself. Im assuming they are going to expand on this somehow.

Also a while back they were talking about another app that carriers were going to opt into that allows people to use each others phones a a hotspot for a small fee.
Just a guess but maybe something with this as well.

They are not the only company going this way there are going to be some announcements very soon of others going this path
laidbackinNC
1032 Posts
388 Reputation
I gave them my email address for spam, so we'll see. Right now it looks like they just offer one plan -- $20/mo for unlimited.

641 Comments

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Feb 15, 2025 01:20 PM
450 Posts
Joined Apr 2016
rohioFeb 15, 2025 01:20 PM
450 Posts
Quote from scorpionguy :
Shipping label was created on 2/11. Since then no shipping updates except ( USPS waiting for package ). Anyone seeing similar shipment issue? I uninstalled the app after ordering the sim card. Not sure that caused this.

Took almost a week to change from "label created* to" USPS accepted package".
Feb 15, 2025 01:39 PM
1,148 Posts
Joined Jul 2008
pandy00Feb 15, 2025 01:39 PM
1,148 Posts
Quote from madveila :
Anyone with a phone made in the last 3 years does not have a physical SIM slot anymore, therefore, Textnow is just an app. Can't compare the two. Also, it's laughable that you're worried about giving away your drivers license information. I hate to break it to you, but everyone's information has been compromised, it's just a question of how many times over.

Lmao. Definitely dumbest comment in the whole thread. You're telling me all my Samsung phones from the last 3 years have no physical sim slot. 😂
1
Feb 15, 2025 01:41 PM
1,148 Posts
Joined Jul 2008
pandy00Feb 15, 2025 01:41 PM
1,148 Posts
Applied the esim and data service works good. but noticed the phone had battery drain issues immediately.

Put their app on battery saver. Will look into just fully uninstalling later if the drain still continues at noticeable levels.
Feb 15, 2025 03:31 PM
7,232 Posts
Joined Jul 2007
lou2004Feb 15, 2025 03:31 PM
7,232 Posts
Quote from arooni :
Can we delete the helium app with no bad consequences
I received a friendly email from helium asking me to turn location sharing back on. I guess they do Monitor this.
Feb 15, 2025 05:59 PM
202 Posts
Joined Nov 2015
yes2freeFeb 15, 2025 05:59 PM
202 Posts
On iphone, already using tmobile. How can i activate this as esim on phone. If it is worth can drop t mobile plan. Please suggest
Feb 15, 2025 06:04 PM
895 Posts
Joined Dec 2007
tunghinjaiFeb 15, 2025 06:04 PM
895 Posts
Quote from muskmelon :
I got esim a day after i signed up for this. Its been working normally without any issues. Couldn't be happier with the service.

They asked ID.. is there a way to bypass it.?
Feb 15, 2025 07:57 PM
17 Posts
Joined May 2014
TheNorbFeb 15, 2025 07:57 PM
17 Posts
Could I utilize this deal with a cellular iPad?
1

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Feb 15, 2025 09:30 PM
3,319 Posts
Joined Jan 2007
windnsalsaFeb 15, 2025 09:30 PM
3,319 Posts
Seems wifi calling still does count against your minutes
1
Feb 15, 2025 10:26 PM
34 Posts
Joined Oct 2024
NavyCalculator684Feb 15, 2025 10:26 PM
34 Posts
Can you get multiple numbers under same name
1
Feb 15, 2025 10:55 PM
305 Posts
Joined Jul 2013
muskmelonFeb 15, 2025 10:55 PM
305 Posts
Quote from tunghinjai :
They asked ID.. is there a way to bypass it.?
AFAIK no
1
Feb 16, 2025 12:29 AM
248 Posts
Joined Dec 2019
Satoshi_NFeb 16, 2025 12:29 AM
248 Posts
Quote from elite-01 :
Totally agree with your opinion. But, I already signed up and awaiting sim from Helium Mobile.

Wish I knew about TextNow before signing up for Helium. Oh well, give a shot and wait for an

extra phone, then sign up for TextNow or drop Helium if it's BAD...
Its not bad its great
Feb 16, 2025 12:30 AM
248 Posts
Joined Dec 2019
Satoshi_NFeb 16, 2025 12:30 AM
248 Posts
Quote from shaolinwookie :
this is pretty good if most of your friends use imessage/rcs. the minutes total is a bit concerning, 100 goes by quick, wish that was a little higher. no real shortcut to that other than using whatsapp etc

EDIT: actually wifi calling doesnt not count towards your minutes, so this plan is really good. does anyone know if i can port my number ot this?
Yes It asks if you want to port
Original Poster
Feb 16, 2025 01:04 AM
1,490 Posts
Joined Jun 2006
WackyP
Original Poster
Feb 16, 2025 01:04 AM
1,490 Posts
Location sharing is required because that is how Helium pays for free plan. Objective of Helium is to make their user base attractive enough for users to put up hotspots where there is traffic but no coverage. The money happens when Helium resells hotspot access to the big carriers.

For the grandfathered $20 plan, Helium users could earn HNT (Helium cryptocurrency) by mapping their location data. Helium only considers areas where no other Helium users have been within the last hour as being valuable location sharing. At least valuable enough for Helium to give them HNT.

For the free plan, users still share location data. Instead of users getting HNT, the HNT goes to Helium. Helium then gives a certain amount of earnings to user in the form of Cloud Points. Again, I would think only unmapped areas within the last hour is worth anything to Helium.

So, I would expect Helium to keep track of all location shares and which ones are "good" because that is how they will determine how many Cloud Points to issue to a user. Therefore, it seems reasonable to expect consequences if a user uninstalls the Helium app.

When the Zero Plan first launched, Helium hinted that they could throttle users (to 64kbps???) as a warning who do not share location. As a last resort, they could cancel the free plan for that user.
Feb 16, 2025 01:06 AM
257 Posts
Joined Feb 2017
matth56Feb 16, 2025 01:06 AM
257 Posts
Quote from NavyCalculator684 :
Can you get multiple numbers under same name
1 free line per ID.

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Feb 16, 2025 02:14 AM
263 Posts
Joined Sep 2017
desi_mundaFeb 16, 2025 02:14 AM
263 Posts
I have setup esim on my primary phone. I have installed the app and logged on secondary phone that stays in drawer. Kept the location etc on. I am trying to save location tracking and battery usage. Do you guys think this setup will work?

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