Not all of CyanogenMod is free software (you still have a bunch of binary blobs, and everyone has to use Google Play Services anyway because every app seems to implicitly require it). Replicant would be a much better alternative if it actually supported anything newer than 2G.

> and everyone has to use Google Play Services anyway

This isn't true. You can stick to app repositories like F-Droid and use Raccoon to download Play Store apps via your desktop without using a Google account on your phone.

It is true that you can get Play Store apps without a Google Account, but the Place Services framework does a lot more than this. Many apps rely upon the framework for certain pieces of functionality from Google's libraries.

You mean Google Apps specifically?

I don't use them personally but I imagine Goole Now, GMail and Google Maps would need Play Services.

The apps I do use (non-google) tend to function well enough without Play Services though.

Many Android apps include the Google Play Services framework in themselves, as they provide extra functionality that is not in the baseline Android API, e.g. a JSON parser.

Fdroid is wonderful. They even strip ads from otherwise foss projects since the licenses are usually not compatible.

Replicant supports 3G devices:

https://www.replicant.us/supported-devices.php