The Republic Wireless model of offering very low cost mobile access primarily built on use of Wi-Fi hotspots, and augmented with mobile network capability, “wouldn’t work in Europe” because of key differences in the way service providers are allowed to charge for terminating calls, some would argue.
In Europe, incoming calls and messages can be provided on an “unlimited” basis, because the calling party, not the receiving party, pays. But outbound calls and messages require originating carrier to pay termination fees.
In the U.S. market, where mobile usage charges are imposed both on calling and receiving parties, and where there is a general expectation that the balance of inbound and outbound calls and messages between networks will generally balance, the amount of incremental out of pocket termination fee payments is less an issue, one might argue. Truly unlimited mobile for $19