Author Topic: A few ? About Republic Wireless  (Read 7480 times)

Greenroller

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 75
  • Location: COLORADO
A few ? About Republic Wireless
« on: December 24, 2014, 12:05:22 PM »
Want to make the leap, but could not find answers to these:
  1) Can I download a navigation app that will work live time while I am driving that is not google maps ? ( I currently use ScoutMaps which is free and works great with my iPhone and it's free)
  2) Anyone currently using this that lives in the Denver Metro area? Do calls drop frequently? How about when driving in the mountains?
  3) I have heard some people say that someone will send them a text or vm, only to receive it hours later than it was sent, is that true?
 
What are your 'cons' with using Republic Wireless?
    Thank You

Greg

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1448
  • Location: Olympia, WA, USA
Re: A few ? About Republic Wireless
« Reply #1 on: December 24, 2014, 02:53:33 PM »
1) You can load any apps for android you like.  Check out the google play store to see what's available from that (trusted) source.  To run the app, you may need to be upgraded to at least the minimum data plan.  I have found that the google mpas doesn't always work since I'm only on the wifi plan.

2)n/a to me

3) I have had this happen.  Most recently my wife's phone was not receiving pics and such I was sending, she cleared the history and it was fixed.

Hope that helps!

Greenroller

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 75
  • Location: COLORADO
Re: A few ? About Republic Wireless
« Reply #2 on: December 24, 2014, 07:51:54 PM »
Thank you!

alsoknownasDean

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2843
  • Age: 39
  • Location: Melbourne, Australia
A few ? About Republic Wireless
« Reply #3 on: December 24, 2014, 11:43:20 PM »
You can't use your existing non-Republic phone, you've got to buy a new one to change to Republic. If you decide you don't like Republic, you can't just pop another SIM in the phone (or the CDMA equivalent), you've got to buy yet another phone to change carriers. Whilst not a contract, that's still a lock-in cost (like an ETF).

Honestly the carrier lock-in isn't Mustachian. Better to re-use the phone you've already got with an MVNO on the same network than buy a new phone that's tied to one carrier.

space

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 36
Re: A few ? About Republic Wireless
« Reply #4 on: December 24, 2014, 11:50:01 PM »
You can't use your existing non-Republic phone, you've got to buy a new one to change to Republic. If you decide you don't like Republic, you can't just pop another SIM in the phone (or the CDMA equivalent), you've got to buy yet another phone to change carriers. Whilst not a contract, that's still a lock-in cost (like an ETF).

Honestly the carrier lock-in isn't Mustachian. Better to re-use the phone you've already got with an MVNO on the same network than buy a new phone that's tied to one carrier.

The phone lock-in is (unofficially) no longer the case for the first gen Moto X now that we have Sunshine for bootloader unlocks and a free way to SIM-unlock the Sprint Moto X. You can at least bring the phone out, and in theory, bring it back to Republic if you take the proper precautions beforehand (don't do the unlock with the RW ROM on the phone, as it screws up the CDMA mode on the phone somehow).
« Last Edit: December 24, 2014, 11:51:58 PM by space »

chicagomeg

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1196
Re: A few ? About Republic Wireless
« Reply #5 on: December 25, 2014, 06:19:44 AM »
You can get Nokia's HERE app from their website, not the Google store and then download the maps you need. Get one of the lower end models with expandable memory if you want to do this though as the files are large.

I've had the phone a year and 3 has never happened to me, even when I'm home at my parents and connected to their terribly DSL. But I have read about that too so maybe it does happen.

tracylayton

  • Guest
Re: A few ? About Republic Wireless
« Reply #6 on: December 25, 2014, 08:48:55 AM »
I was really scared to make the leap, too. I changed my 14 year old son first with talk and text $10 plan and $99 phone. He loved it...much nicer phone than he had. Since he had no problems, I switched mine to the $25 plan. People are amazed how little we pay, and the service is great! We are in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Future Lazy

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 350
  • Age: 31
  • Location: Northglenn, Colorado
Re: A few ? About Republic Wireless
« Reply #7 on: December 26, 2014, 07:48:51 AM »
Want to make the leap, but could not find answers to these:
  1) Can I download a navigation app that will work live time while I am driving that is not google maps ? ( I currently use ScoutMaps which is free and works great with my iPhone and it's free)
  2) Anyone currently using this that lives in the Denver Metro area? Do calls drop frequently? How about when driving in the mountains?
  3) I have heard some people say that someone will send them a text or vm, only to receive it hours later than it was sent, is that true?
 
What are your 'cons' with using Republic Wireless?
    Thank You

1) The phones used by Republic are Android based. Take a look at the Google play store for  navigation applications:
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=navigation&c=apps

Is this the nav program you currently use?
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.telenav.app.android.scout_us

2) I live in this area, but I honestly don't make very many phone calls - as in, 1-3 calls per month, maybe. In my experience, the calls carried over the Sprint network come in clear and I've never had one drop, but the VOIP calls over my wifi have been spotty - that's a fault of my wifi and the older neighborhood I live in, not of Republic. I'm on Republic for the unlimited data and texting, which seems to be reliable everywhere in the metro area. Dunno about the mountains, though, but I would take a look at Sprint's network map to find out.

3) DH and I text constantly, and we text regularly with friends. So far, absolutely no problems with text messages getting from A to B. As Greg says, sometimes a picture text may not come through correctly, but usually restarting the Messenger app will fix the problem and the image will redownload - I also had this issue with my Samsung phone on AT&T's network, so, once again, I don't really consider it to be Republic's issue.


CON: You have to buy one of the types of phones they support, the cheapest of which is $99 - However, I purchased the $25/mo plan (times 2) and the more expensive $200 phone (times 2) for myself and my DH - over AT&T, we'll be saving over $1000 in the first twelve months, even with the investment in new phones. :)

Daley

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4825
  • Location: Cow country. Moo.
  • Still kickin', I guess.
Re: A few ? About Republic Wireless
« Reply #8 on: December 26, 2014, 08:38:09 AM »
I won't answer the specific questions as they've mostly already been covered, though I will mention that there's offline GPS maps available through Google Maps directly and outfits like Sygic. Offline maps don't require data to use, which can save you a lot of data usage. However, given this comment:

CON: You have to buy one of the types of phones they support, the cheapest of which is $99 - However, I purchased the $25/mo plan (times 2) and the more expensive $200 phone (times 2) for myself and my DH - over AT&T, we'll be saving over $1000 in the first twelve months, even with the investment in new phones. :)

...I'd run the math on alternatives. Start with the guide. Odds are, running the basic math in advance on what you actually need, you're likely going to find that you can switch to an MVNO on your current network and keep your current phone for equal or less over the years than what it'll cost to switch to Republic, and you won't have to deal with the shortcomings, either (amongst other issues). Republic, like Ooma, only looks like a fantastic deal when measured against the price of post-paid carriers. The prices are hardly extraordinary or unique when you know what other options are out there, and can even be more expensive if you buy into the "unlimited" fallacy and always wired data hog mindset.

Greenroller

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 75
  • Location: COLORADO
Re: A few ? About Republic Wireless
« Reply #9 on: December 27, 2014, 02:05:21 AM »
Many thanks, this is clearing up a lot of my questions. One I still don't quite understand is:
once I purchase a Republic phone and their unlimited $25 plan, can't I turn off wifi mode when driving to use the maps apps?  Or is it Not truely a 'Unlimited' plan? Am I not seeing some type of fine print?

space

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 36
Re: A few ? About Republic Wireless
« Reply #10 on: December 27, 2014, 10:55:46 AM »
Many thanks, this is clearing up a lot of my questions. One I still don't quite understand is:
once I purchase a Republic phone and their unlimited $25 plan, can't I turn off wifi mode when driving to use the maps apps?  Or is it Not truely a 'Unlimited' plan? Am I not seeing some type of fine print?

It's an unlimited* plan. Meaning: Throttle after 5GB on Sprint native networks, 25MB hard cap on data roaming.

Greenroller

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 75
  • Location: COLORADO
Re: A few ? About Republic Wireless
« Reply #11 on: December 28, 2014, 12:51:07 AM »
Many thanks, this is clearing up a lot of my questions. One I still don't quite understand is:
once I purchase a Republic phone and their unlimited $25 plan, can't I turn off wifi mode when driving to use the maps apps?  Or is it Not truely a 'Unlimited' plan? Am I not seeing some type of fine print?

It's an unlimited* plan. Meaning: Throttle after 5GB on Sprint native networks, 25MB hard cap on data roaming.

Please excuse my ignorance. What does that mean?

Daley

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4825
  • Location: Cow country. Moo.
  • Still kickin', I guess.
Re: A few ? About Republic Wireless
« Reply #12 on: December 28, 2014, 07:23:51 AM »
It's an unlimited* plan. Meaning: Throttle after 5GB on Sprint native networks, 25MB hard cap on data roaming.

Please excuse my ignorance. What does that mean?

It means that it's not actually unlimited. Read their terms of service.

kendallf

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1068
  • Age: 57
  • Location: Jacksonville, FL
Re: A few ? About Republic Wireless
« Reply #13 on: December 28, 2014, 11:25:42 AM »
Many thanks, this is clearing up a lot of my questions. One I still don't quite understand is:
once I purchase a Republic phone and their unlimited $25 plan, can't I turn off wifi mode when driving to use the maps apps?  Or is it Not truely a 'Unlimited' plan? Am I not seeing some type of fine print?

To actually answer your question, yes, as long as you're on one of the cell data plan options, you can travel and use Google Maps, etc. on cell data.  Works fine.  You'll never hit any kind of data throttle (point where they slow down your data connection) doing that.  I use mine quite often to stream Pandora with no Wi-Fi service, and have never come close to their cap.

Spoom

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 36
  • Age: 40
  • Location: Cleveland, OH
Re: A few ? About Republic Wireless
« Reply #14 on: December 28, 2014, 12:34:13 PM »
We just started with Republic before Christmas, I'll give you our experiences so far:

1) Can I download a navigation app that will work live time while I am driving that is not google maps ? ( I currently use ScoutMaps which is free and works great with my iPhone and it's free)

Not too familiar with this; my guess is yes (I've heard good things about Here Maps) but keep in mind that you can download maps for offline use in Google Maps.

2) Anyone currently using this that lives in the Denver Metro area? Do calls drop frequently? How about when driving in the mountains?

Can't help here, sorry.

3) I have heard some people say that someone will send them a text or vm, only to receive it hours later than it was sent, is that true?

Been solid so far except when we were porting our numbers initially; and they did warn us that texts may not work right for the first couple of days.  Now, they're pretty much immediate.

What are your 'cons' with using Republic Wireless?

Take a look on their wiki at the Complete List of Caveats.  They (and their community) are pretty up front with the potential downsides, but IMHO it's still a great value.

I read I.P. Daley's Superguide (and you should too, there's lots of great info in there!) and while he advises against them, we liked the unlimited nature of Republic and not having to worry about tracking our data usage.  To each their own.