Republic Wireless

[HappyRock]

This has probably been gone over before.. but is there anyone who has used Republic Wireless recently and had bad experiences with it?
Both MMM and JL seemed to like it enough and I really want to get rid of this Iphone/verizon plan. (280/month for 3 iphones = pain/suffering)

It seems to good to be true I just wondered what you guys think or if there is a better alternative to RW, thanks

[iamadummy]

Been using it for about 1.5 months.  So far so good.

[thedayisbrave]

My experience overall has been really good.  Been using it since Jan/Feb of this year.  There have been some instances where call quality isn't exactly perfect (usually when  it's being offloaded to wi-fi) but it would usually only last a minute or two.  Not really a big deal to me, since at one point in my life I used to use my iPod Touch as my backup phone when I ran out of minutes on my prepaid.

[Daley]

This has probably been gone over before.. but is there anyone who has used Republic Wireless recently and had bad experiences with it?

I know of a couple in these forums recently (and more than a handful over the years), but I won't speak for them. I also know of some who have simply come around to the conclusion that although it isn't exactly "bad" per se, there is simply far better out there for the money if you just look. (Enter the guide...)

Edit: All the same, positive or negative, crowdsourced feedback isn't going to accurately answer a question that's most critically defined by your usage patterns and physical location. There is no substitute for your own research, and if anything is ever in doubt, you should consider why that is. There's enough mathematical and legal arguments as well as documented issues on their own to erode the benefits of RW's price points over other carriers without even knowing regional specific and personal issues... but there truly is no substitute for doing your own research and finding out what you specifically need.

Both MMM and JL seemed to like it enough and I really want to get rid of this Iphone/verizon plan. (280/month for 3 iphones = pain/suffering)

It seems to good to be true I just wondered what you guys think or if there is a better alternative to RW, thanks

This part, however, has extensively been answered already. Yes, there are plenty of better alternatives available that don't require buying new phones, generating more electronic waste, and can be just as cheap to operate (if not cheaper) than RW if you just apply a little self discipline and math to the situation. Again, consult the guide.

In your case specifically, iPhone 4/4S models on Verizon can easily be taken to Page Plus, and if the 4S SIM card slot is carrier unlocked for international use, you can also technically use a TruPhone SIM for AT&T plus T-Mobile coverage instead at 9¢/minute/text/MB outbound, and free incoming texts and minutes if usage can be taken down low enough to justify PAYG pricing.

iPhone 5/c/s models aren't supported on Verizon MVNOs currently, but the SIM card slot is carrier unlocked by default from the factory and any AT&T or T-Mobile MVNO (such as Airvoice or P'tel) can easily be used instead. Although some people in parts of the country are on Verizon specifically due to rural or regional coverage, most are not.

Edit: Final bit of food for thought, if you are one of those people who chose Verizon specifically due to reception and coverage due to their location, definitely don't go Republic either... especially if you plan to use any mobile data. As always, read the legal fine print with any provider you choose.

There's no reason why you shouldn't already be paying less than $100 for all three lines already using the handsets you already have.

[Habilis]

Bad audio quality over wifi and cellular and my wife didn't like the camera on the moto x. We dropped Republic.

[unpolloloco]

Couple of issues I've had:
-The Moto X has issues switching between multiple routers with the same credentials (only happens at work for me).  This is a flaw with the Moto X, not republic
-Does not play well with wifi repeaters
-They recently locked down roaming data to 25mb/month.  Not a big deal if you're always within wifi or sprint coverage
-Sometimes doesn't want to place a call if my signal's not great.  Takes a couple tries sometimes
-It's on the sprint network, which can be a bit spotty at times (but that's an issue with sprint, not republic per se.  Supposedly Sprint is working on this and has improved in many locations)

Overall, I've been pretty satisfied!  I'm a data-heavy user (average 3gb/month or so) and tend to have wide swings in minutes/text usage, so republic is a good fit for me.  If I didn't use so much data, I'd be with a different company, as there are plenty of cheaper options for people that don't use much data.

[BaldingStoic]

Got Republic Wireless for my wife a few months back - we're on the super cheap $10/month plan, so she only gets data when connected to WiFi but can call/text over cellular.    Overall, I'm a fan.  Audio quality is a bit spotty, especially over WiFi; This might be a concern if you're using it for formal business calls, but hasn't been a big deal for us.   

[nawhite]

I was a RW customer for about 1.5 years and recently switched to Ting wireless (also reviewed well by MMM) because I work from home/on the road and they have the cheapest data rates at the scale I need (and I could bring a world phone which worked on other networks). I second what I.P. Daley said, there is better value for the money elsewhere especially when you take into account the need to get new phones on RW when you have 3 that work just fine. Where to look in particular will depend on your usage.

RW's $5 plan: can be replicated for free with other offerings from RW's parent company Bandwidth.com
RW's $10 plan: Unless you are are a phone and text fiend, usage based billing with another MVNO will probably win out.
RW's $25 plan: Most MVNO's have a similar plan at this level and you can bring your current phone (technically RW will limit your speed after 2GB of data so that is your comparison point)
RW's $40 plan: Maybe, maybe works for a single person who is a road warrior data hog. Probably not because they limit you at 2GB. Most likely, a Ting (or similar) plan with pooled data for your family would be a better option.

[isbjshaffer]

We just got it a couple of weeks ago. There have been a couple of frustrating times when it comes to reliability but each time something small happens where i just have to be patient, me and hubby just think to ourselves "At least it's not $160/mo."

[Johnez]

A few issues, but none are deal breakers.

-there is a "secret" phone number assigned by Sprint to your phone which may have been someone else's or on a spammer's list, meaning you get random calls or the texts. Stopping these can be annoying and there is no simple method to block them. I don't have this problem, but my girlfriend does currently.

There have been a few improvements however in that Republic now has the capability to activate used phones, meaning you can now sell your phone or buy used and activate from there. As long as it's a Republic phone of course. Used to be you had to buy brand new from them and couldn't sell.

[Johnez]

This part, however, has extensively been answered already. Yes, there are plenty of better alternatives available that don't require buying new phones...

Just to clarify-no need to buy new. One can buy used now and reactivate. So if not attached to the iPhone it's not impossible to sell it and buy a used Defy XT or Moto G/X. Might even profit in the exchange.

[Daley]

This part, however, has extensively been answered already. Yes, there are plenty of better alternatives available that don't require buying new phones...

Just to clarify-no need to buy new. One can buy used now and reactivate. So if not attached to the iPhone it's not impossible to sell it and buy a used Defy XT or Moto G/X. Might even profit in the exchange.

Buying a used Republic phone only makes the switch less costly from an environmental standpoint, and the used market isn't exactly robust enough to support every potential new Republic user, and still suffers from the same problem with Apple hardware - an overinflated sense of value. (Excuse the Defy, but a fixed $19/month+tax is not a compelling price for the service provided, no matter how cheap the handset.)

It also does nothing to address the reams of other issues or the fact that there's still very few financially compelling reasons to make the switch versus the competition when properly sized. There is better, cheaper. Honest and truly.

[Johnez]

$10 a month for me, no need for internet. Killer deal. Talk and text all I want, everything I need. Neither Ting, P'Tell, Airvoice, nor any other MVNO has anything comparable. Yes I know I can talk or text less and MIGHT save a buck or two. I'm in the unfortunate bucket of using between 500-1000 texts and 500-1000 minutes a month-the point where no MVNO beside Republic makes sense.

[HappyRock]

Thanks for the responses everyone, I will definitely be dropping this verizon plan ASAP.

This has probably been gone over before.. but is there anyone who has used Republic Wireless recently and had bad experiences with it?

I know of a couple in these forums recently (and more than a handful over the years), but I won't speak for them. I also know of some who have simply come around to the conclusion that although it isn't exactly "bad" per se, there is simply far better out there for the money if you just look. (Enter the guide...)

Edit: All the same, positive or negative, crowdsourced feedback isn't going to accurately answer a question that's most critically defined by your usage patterns and physical location. There is no substitute for your own research, and if anything is ever in doubt, you should consider why that is. There's enough mathematical and legal arguments as well as documented issues on their own to erode the benefits of RW's price points over other carriers without even knowing regional specific and personal issues... but there truly is no substitute for doing your own research and finding out what you specifically need.

Both MMM and JL seemed to like it enough and I really want to get rid of this Iphone/verizon plan. (280/month for 3 iphones = pain/suffering)

It seems to good to be true I just wondered what you guys think or if there is a better alternative to RW, thanks

This part, however, has extensively been answered already. Yes, there are plenty of better alternatives available that don't require buying new phones, generating more electronic waste, and can be just as cheap to operate (if not cheaper) than RW if you just apply a little self discipline and math to the situation. Again, consult the guide.

In your case specifically, iPhone 4/4S models on Verizon can easily be taken to Page Plus, and if the 4S SIM card slot is carrier unlocked for international use, you can also technically use a TruPhone SIM for AT&T plus T-Mobile coverage instead at 9¢/minute/text/MB outbound, and free incoming texts and minutes if usage can be taken down low enough to justify PAYG pricing.

iPhone 5/c/s models aren't supported on Verizon MVNOs currently, but the SIM card slot is carrier unlocked by default from the factory and any AT&T or T-Mobile MVNO (such as Airvoice or P'tel) can easily be used instead. Although some people in parts of the country are on Verizon specifically due to rural or regional coverage, most are not.

Edit: Final bit of food for thought, if you are one of those people who chose Verizon specifically due to reception and coverage due to their location, definitely don't go Republic either... especially if you plan to use any mobile data. As always, read the legal fine print with any provider you choose.

There's no reason why you shouldn't already be paying less than $100 for all three lines already using the handsets you already have.

Haha thanks for the good response as always I.P, and your guide is just what i was looking for.
PS: mind responding on my post on religion? Or not its w/e
For some reason i like hearing mustachian's views on Religion, politics, well.. everything. :)

I would have to write a pg to explain why i have verizon right now (Apparently not if you look in next line)... but it definitely wasn't because of reception and coverage. ^^

Short version : i found MMM's blog very young because i grew up in extreme wastefulness. I am now old enough to #1 care enough to ask the price (280 a month for 3 barely used phones!??!?!), #2 convince family to let me make the change.

Luckily i was smart enough to learn from mistakes, or maybe im just a mustachian!?!?!? :)

<3