Republic Wireless is a new mobile phone service from Bandwidth.com that will be launching on November 8, with some features some users will find compelling. Republic Wireless teaser
Among those features is the price, said to be $20 per month, with unlimited talk, texting and data. The plan is also touted as truly “unlimited” with no bandwidth caps. $20 a month unlimited smart phone service?
Republic is a mobile virtual network operator, but is integrating Wi-Fi connectivity and software that will switch connections between the mobile network and the Wi-Fi network automatically.
The hybrid service essentially will default to Wi-Fi whenever possible, and use the mobile network only when Wi-Fi is not available. That should translate into lower calling costs for end users, since Bandwidth.com will be able to use fixed network VoIP much of the time.
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In all likelihood, pricing will set at levels much lower than what users typically expect from mobile service plans, and without need for a contract. Republic Wireless
Users will have to buy a new device specially created by Republic Wireless, which undoubtedly will prove a barrier to some users. But $20 a month, with unlimited data access, texting and calling, is going to be attractive to lots of people.
Smart phone owners are using Wi-Fi hot spots in increasing numbers, both in the home and out in public. A recent study by WeFi shows an uptick in smart phone data consumption, much of it by users on the Android platform, for example. That might explain why the Republic Wireless service will use Android devices. Smart phone Wi-Fi usage
