Ok, so I received an email with a link which contained a breakdown of what a free to play player gets as well as what a preferred player gets. Since all of us have played SWTOR in the past, we are considered preferred status so we do get some benefits if we choose not to pay a subscription at this time. Pay attention to what it all says. When you first log back in, it does let you know about your status as well as what benefits you have and don't have. Make sure to read the fine print if you do decide to play the game again.
I did discover when I repatched my client that all my characters still exist and were moved to a different server. They don't have many servers but they are very high population now which isn't a bad thing. You only have 2 characters you can play as a non subscription account and if I read it correctly, you can't wear any endgame stuff on a free account. I see where they make their money though. By enticing free accounts to spend money they can get all the other goodies.This model may work for them but I'm more concerned about the amount of content after their story and flashpoints. I didn't see many changes but then again, this game is young. I'm curious if they have a major content release planned for the next year or not since the year anniversary is approaching.