Republic Wireless

[ColoradoTribe]

Losing my work cell in a few weeks. Never owned my cell phone or paid for a plan. Recalled MMM's posts on Republic wireless.

After checking out their website I decided to go with the Moto 4G phone and $20/month plan. I checked and the Moto 4G phone is for sale on Amazon (Prime) for $50 less. I see on the website that you can "use your own phone" and don't have to order a phone through their website.

My question:

Anyone using Republic wireless go this route? How easy was it to load the app onto the phone, change out the SIM card, etc. Is it worth it to save $50?

Would appreciate any other thoughts, suggestions, advise, etc with respect to Republic wireless. If it makes any difference, I'm living near CO.

Thanks in advance!

[rdy4er]

As long as it's an unlocked phone it will work, you can find a republic wireless SIM card cheaper on amazon also.

[runewell]

I just bought the phone through Republic and it arrived a week ago, frankly I wasn't going to chance it.  I got the Play edition.

I'm pretty happy with it.  I am not a big phone or data user, but I cannot check my email at work, and I do tutoring on the side so having the phone is a nice upgrade.

When you are at a wi-fi spot, you can connect quickly and use all the data you want for free.  If you are not, it will cost you from your 1GB allowance (which is what I went with).  Republic has an app you will download and it allows you to monitor your usage.  Sometimes the phone remembers wi fi, and it immediately lets you know when you turn it on if you are connected to wi fi (free) or a cell tower (not free).  Outside of that I think the talking and text is all free.

[seanmerron]

I thought about Republic Wireless until Google FI came out and I love it. You get credited back fro data you don't use. My wife and I's family 2GB plan averages ~$60/month.

[RWD]

I've heard a lot of complaints about Republic Wireless... Just a quick search of this forum:
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/trying-to-leave-republic-wireless/
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/republic-wireless-the-honeymoon-is-over/
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/giving-up-on-republic-wireless/
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/reader-recommendations/leaving-republic-wireless-due-to-terrible-customer-service-who-to-go-to-now/
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/switching-from-republic-wireless-moto-g-uncooperative/
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/reader-recommendations/warning!-republic-wireless-roaming-is-false-advertising!/

[CowboyAndIndian]

I thought about Republic Wireless until Google FI came out and I love it. You get credited back fro data you don't use. My wife and I's family 2GB plan averages ~$60/month.

+1

I've had Google FI for about a year now. Very  happy.

I've also converted to the family plan ($55 + tax fees).

[Daley]

I've heard a lot of complaints about Republic Wireless... Just a quick search of this forum:

To be fair to Republic, all those complaints were for their old ridiculous Sprint/VoIP hybrid monstrosity they used to sell. The service they're offering these days is basically nothing more than yet another T-Mobile MVNO with UMA/WiFi calling support activated, but with the service restricted to only a handful of handsets instead of being able to activate any T-Mobile handset made over the past decade that supports the feature.

So in that regard, the service does work better... but it also means that they lost their "competitive pricing edge". Excuse the older Sprint handsets they're still willing to support for the time, they're now just another negative frills, cut-rate T-Mobile MVNO at this point - and the savings offered is marginal for the support, privacy and terms of service sacrificed in exchange for that minor discount.

[RWD]

I've heard a lot of complaints about Republic Wireless... Just a quick search of this forum:

To be fair to Republic, all those complaints were for their old ridiculous Sprint/VoIP hybrid monstrosity they used to sell. The service they're offering these days is basically nothing more than yet another T-Mobile MVNO with UMA/WiFi calling support activated, but with the service restricted to only a handful of handsets instead of being able to activate any T-Mobile handset made over the past decade that supports the feature.

So in that regard, the service does work better... but it also means that they lost their "competitive pricing edge". Excuse the older Sprint handsets they're still willing to support for the time, they're now just another negative frills, cut-rate T-Mobile MVNO at this point - and the savings offered is marginal for the support, privacy and terms of service sacrificed in exchange for that minor discount.

Ah, interesting. So is there no longer the problem where the number gets treated as a land line?

[Daley]

Ah, interesting. So is there no longer the problem where the number gets treated as a land line?

Not as far as I am aware... but the old argument of "there's still better for the money" is still just as relevant today.

[eyePod]

I thought about Republic Wireless until Google FI came out and I love it. You get credited back fro data you don't use. My wife and I's family 2GB plan averages ~$60/month.

We have RW and I love it. We also pay about $25 a month through a pay you back plan that they rolled out but didn't get enough traction.

[NoVa]

Just another data point here. Two years ago I needed a cheap phone when changing jobs, wound up with a Republic Wireless Moto G, which set me back less than $200 with case, etc.. I have 4 email accounts on it, 1 for work and 3 personal. Using the $25 a month with rebate for unused data, my bill in 2016 averaged just under $15 a month. At that price point I just haven't had the urge to seek out anything cheaper until this breaks. I use lots of data, 13-18 gigs a month, but only a tiny fraction isn't Wi-Fi.

[NorthernBlitz]

Losing my work cell in a few weeks. Never owned my cell phone or paid for a plan. Recalled MMM's posts on Republic wireless.

After checking out their website I decided to go with the Moto 4G phone and $20/month plan. I checked and the Moto 4G phone is for sale on Amazon (Prime) for $50 less. I see on the website that you can "use your own phone" and don't have to order a phone through their website.

My question:

Anyone using Republic wireless go this route? How easy was it to load the app onto the phone, change out the SIM card, etc. Is it worth it to save $50?

Would appreciate any other thoughts, suggestions, advise, etc with respect to Republic wireless. If it makes any difference, I'm living near CO.

Thanks in advance!

If you've you don't use data, I think that you could be fine with a lower cost option than Republic Wireless.

I'm currently on H2O wireless. It's a pay as you go service that charges $0.05/min, $0.05/text, $0.10/MMS, and $0.10/MB data. You can get better rates elsewhere, but these are for loading $10/(90 days) or $3.33/month.

That being said, I have very low usage: I almost never use data or call anyone and I'm usually on WiFi so I can send texts through hangouts for free. During my commute, I listen things I download before hand (podcasts or free audio books from the library with Overdrive). I acutally don't use up the $10 in 90 days, so my balance is accumulating. It's a bit unfortunate that they won't let you autorenew at $10 / 90 days, so I have to use a Google calendar reminder. But, I think it's worth it to save ~ $15 / month on Ting. I won't be too dissapointed if I lose my accumulated balance because I won't ever go through it (although it's handy to have the surplus for data usage when travelling for work).
https://www.h2owirelessnow.com/mainControl.php?page=planMin

My wife uses Ting because she texts more than I do. I think her bill is usually $12-18/month (again little data).
https://ting.com/rates

Note 1: On my Moto X (2nd gen), I had to actually go into the settings and disable mobile data to prevent Android from using data. I could individually restrict apps from using data, but I couldn't figure out how to do that with the OS.

Note 2: we also set up a free Google Voice landline which we use when we want to call people when we're at home.

[ColoradoTribe]

Thanks for the feedback. Quite a mix of opinion. I give Google FI a look.

Sounds like I can purchase an unlocked phone from Amazon and set-up w/ Republic. Hoping that is fairly painless.

I don't use a ton of data and have high-speed Wi-Fi at home. Primary uses for my phone are calls, texts, email, taking photos and videos, and navigation.

Is navigation seamless with RW? Does that really chew up the data?

Does RW still offer a plan where you can rollover unused data?

What happened if I use more than allowed by my 1 GB/month plan?

Thanks Again.

[Kiwi Fuzz]

I've only had Republic wireless since November 2016 but I've had no issues with it. I bought my phone from them but it was on sale (Moto G3). The SD card that came with the phone bricked so I need to contact Samsung to replace it.

I have the base plan + 0.5GB of data and I don't use all the data each month so I get a small refund.
Plan: $17.50
Taxes: $2.37
Average Refund: $3.72 (Dec: $3.47, Jan: $4.20, Feb: $3.51)

For reference, I had Boost Mobile $30 Unlimited Text, talk and data before this. I don't own a landline phone so I need my cell phone to be reliable enough. I do have access to a landline at work, though.

[NorthernBlitz]

Is navigation seamless with RW? Does that really chew up the data?

Google Maps lets you download particular areas so that you can navigate off-line. So, with a bit of forethought you can probably eliminate the use of data while navigating.

Getting phones from Amazon is probably a good option. You can also buy direct from the manufacturer. We've purchased directly from Google (Nexus 4) and Motorola (Moto X 2nd gen). I am considering buying our next phone from 1+, but hopefully can wait for next Thanksgiving (or the one after that).

[charis]

I used to have issues with RW that have resolved themselves in the last year, so no current complaints.  I bought my phone from a MMM forum user for $50.  I'm on a 1G plan that averages $17/month.