New mobile network offers free coverage across the UK

A popular American network has announced plans to launch in the UK, but it's not like any other phone service you've seen before – this one is free.

FreedomPop launched in the US during October 2012 and offers a free basic mobile phone service across the country and now it wants to break into the UK market.

On the free UK package you'll get 200 minutes, 200 texts and 200MB of data – those minutes can be used for free across 60 different countries Europe.

FreedomPop is also launching a Jetsetter package to give 100MB of free high-speed data a month to be used across the UK, Spain and France with more than 20 countries joining later.

According to FreedomPop's website the service will be available in certain locations across the UK initially and expanding to other areas in the future.

At the moment there's a small map on the site showing where it'll be available but it's not all that clear just yet – expect your major cities like London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow and Edinburgh to be covered.

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That does mean you're likely to lose signal once you head out of the city though posing a problem for anyone who doesn't spend all their time in the bright city lights.

FreedomPop in the US includes 4G data, wireless internet and home broadband and it's assumed it'll work in a similar way in the UK.

The service works with a free SIM card and you then download the FreedomPop app for Android or iOS and start messaging from there.

FreedomPop does offer a variety of other packages and the aim is to hook you in with a free service to then get you paying some more.

But on the other hand it offers a free mobile phone network – who can turn their nose up at that offer?

• Who has the best 4G network in the UK.