Republic Wireless
 | |
| Company type | Private (wholly owned subsidiary of Bandwidth.com)[1] |
|---|---|
| Industry | Wireless communications services |
| Founded | November 2011 |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Number of locations | N/A |
Area served | Continental United States |
Key people | Brian Dally, General Manager |
| Products | Wireless services |
| Services | Cell phone carrier |
Number of employees | 150+ |
| Website | republicwireless |
Republic Wireless is a wireless communications services provider based in Cary, North Carolina, United States.[2] Founded in 2011, the company announced it would provide a monthly subscription of $19 per month for wireless service with unlimited calling, texting, and data on a "Hybrid Calling" system.[3][4][5]
Republic Wireless began beta service on November 8, 2011. The currently available phone is the Motorola Defy XT, which is priced at $249 + $29 start-up fee (includes first month of service).[6]
On November 19, 2012, Republic Wireless ended its private beta and is now open to the public. Like before, the only available phone from the carrier is the Motorola Defy XT, and the start-up fee is now $10.[7]
Hybrid calling
Brian Dally, Republic Wireless General Manager, said the company is "inverting the network" and that "Wi-Fi is primary and cellular is a fallover." The model relies on a proprietary VoIP application for the Android operating system that seamlessly switches between CDMA mobile networks and WiFi, depending on whether WiFi access is available.[8]
Reception
TechCrunch expressed excitement about the announcement and described the plan as potentially disruptive to the wireless markets. The publication described the "WiFi first" model as an attractive feature because of the prevalence of WiFi access and the superiority of WiFi connections over digital mobile networks, which they expect will improve call reception and clarity.[3] CNet wrote that the low price point would be "a home run" for parents who are interested in low-cost plans for young children.[6] The Atlantic was more hesitant, acknowledging that the price point would be attractive to some consumers but speculating that the low-cost business model may lead to unreliable service. The magazine also suggested that since Republic Wireless purchases its air time wholesale from Sprint, it is dependent on major telecommunications companies who may be inclined to limit the company's growth to prevent it from becoming too disruptive.[9]
PC World questioned Republic Wireless' marketing the plan as "unlimited" given the expectations that users monitor a "Cellular Usage Index" and remain within "fair use guidelines". The magazine faulted the company for advertising unlimited voice and data while simultaneously describing membership as a "privilege" and reserving the right to terminate users who crossed an undefined "fair use threshold".[10] MSNBC wrote that coverage will be unlimited on WiFi access but when on the mobile network, consumers will be held to a monthly limit of 550 minutes of voice, 150 SMS, and 300 megabytes of data or face termination of their subscription.[5] On Thursday, December 22, Republic Wireless announced on their blog the elimination of this fair use threshold.[11]
See also
References
- ^ "republic wireless - about us". November 10, 2011. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
- ^ "Republic Wireless". Republic Wireless. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
- ^ a b Kinkaid, Jason (November 8, 2011). "Republic Wireless Officially Unveils $19/Month Service: Unlimited Everything, No Contracts". Tech Crunch. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
- ^ Newman, Jared (November 8, 2011). "Republic Wireless: $19 per Month for Voice, Text and Data". Time Magazine. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
- ^ a b Chansanchai, Athima (November 9, 2011). "'Unlimited' Android for $19 a month -- as long as you're on Wi-Fi". MSNBC. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
- ^ a b Broida, Rick (November 8, 2011). "Republic Wireless: 'Unlimited' Android phone for $19 per month". CNet. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
- ^ "Republic Wireless mobile phone service exits private beta, now available to all". Retrieved 20 November 2012.
- ^ Segan, Sascha (November 8, 2011). "Republic Wireless: It's All About Wi-Fi". PC Magazine. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
- ^ Greenfield, Rebecca (November 8, 2011). "Good Luck With That: A Super-Cheap Phone Challenges Big Companies". Retrieved November 9, 2011.
- ^ McCracken, Harry (November 8, 2011). "Republic Wireless, You Have a Strange Definition of 'Unlimited'". PC World. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
- ^ Brian at Republic Wireless (December 22, 2011). "Unlimited". Republic Wireless. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
External links
- www.republicwireless.com — Official website