$19 unlimited smartphone service goes live as Republic Wireless starts shipping phones

[Corey]

As small mobile virtual network operators continue to look

for ways to steal subscribers from major nationwide wireless

carriers, low-cost unlimited plans are often the go-to move for

attracting attention. New

MVNO entrant Republic Wireless is going to be hard to

compete at the low end of the price spectrum though, and the

virtual carrier’s $19 “unlimited everything” service is now live

across the country.

The MVNO announced on Wednesday that it has begun

fulfilling orders and shipping its version of the Motorola DEFY

XT complete with tweaked software that bounces calls and data

between Wi-Fi networks and Sprint’s (S) cellular

network, favoring the former to keep costs low. The Android-powered DEFY

XT is just $249 with no commitment and it is the only handset

Republic Wireless offers. Republic’s press release follows below.

Low Cost WiFi Smartphone from

Republic Wireless With Unlimited Data, Text and Voice Shipping

Now

Just in time for the holidays,

Republic Wireless now shipping WiFi smartphones nationwide that

offer unlimited data, text and voice service for $19 per month,

well below prevailing market rates. Raleigh, NC (PRWEB)

December 12, 2012 A much-anticipated Wi-Fi smartphone plan that

costs just $19 per month became widely available today as Republic

Wireless began nationwide shipments of a new breed of smartphones.

The service is already a hit with holiday shoppers looking for

no-contract service that delivers value and performance. The plan

offers unlimited data, text and voice for $19 per month, a small

fraction of the average monthly wireless phone bill. Republic

Wireless keeps rates low with a Hybrid Wi-Fi cellular Calling

network that uses a combination of home, office and public hot spot

Wi-Fi as its primary network and the nationwide network of Sprint

when Wi-Fi is not available. Republic Wireless CEO David Morken

said the launch follows a year of intensive work by his team, which

included beta testing with thousands of subscribers. He said the

past year’s work has provided strong validation that the company’s

Wi-Fi-first approach is a winner. Market data supports Wi-Fi

Smartphone for talking and texting as well as data “We saw Wi-Fi

becoming ubiquitous and cheap, while cellular spectrum has become

increasingly expensive and controlled from the top,” Morken said.

“So we set out to invert the status quo, by routing as much as

possible – voice, text, and of course data, over Wi-Fi whenever

possible. When Wi-Fi is not available, our smart phone works just

like a regular phone on the nationwide network of Sprint.” The WiFi

smartphone is poised to be a disruptive force in the wireless

industry. The Wireless Broadband Alliance reports worldwide public

hotspots continue to increase rapidly, and an April 2012 report

from industry analyst firm Strategy Analytics estimates 61% of all

US households currently have Wi-Fi networks installed at home.

“This is a story about the way smartphones should be – a smart

phone with a smarter phone plan. Republic Wireless is all about

providing great benefits and returning value to consumers with a

Wi-Fi smartphone,” Morken adds Republic Wireless is shipping the

Motorola DEFY XT, available for $249 on the company’s website, plus

a $10 start-up fee and applicable taxes. The plan is pay-as-you-go,

with unlimited data, text and voice calls, backed up by a 30-day

money back guarantee. The dual-band Android CDMA handset features a

3.7-inch Corning® Gorilla® Glass display, VGA webcam, and 4x

digital zoom camera with auto-focus and LED flash. It is compact

and lightweight and delivers rugged, water-resistant performance.

Republic Wireless offers quick and simple signup for the

game-changing WiFi smartphone on its website, where purchasers

click on buttons to select the phone, set up their phone number and

proceed to checkout.

 

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