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You are here: Home / Life / Republic Wireless and my $19 per month phone plan

Republic Wireless and my $19 per month phone plan

by jlcollinsnh 76 Comments

dark and stormy

Painting by Sergey Gusev

It was a dark and stormy night.*

She told me to wait. Maybe I should have listened.

But I was impatient and headed to South America. The idea of remaining in touch, of having access to my email, the internet and, wonder of wonder, free international calls was not to be denied.

“No!” I cried. “I must have it now! Now, I tell you! Now!”

“It will only break your heart,” she said, “as it has so many others. This is not the one for you.”

But I was blinded by love. No longer thinking rationally. The thought of travel to distant foreign lands without it suddenly became unthinkable. Unbearable. I would not be denied.

I bargained. Cajoled. Begged. Pleaded. Threatened. Ranted. Insisted. And, finally, (this one being true) just asked.

And the nice Republic Wireless (RW) PR lady sent me the Motorola Defy XT phone. I’ve hated it ever since.

 weep for me

Weep for Me

So that’s the bad news and, blessedly, the end of my little melodrama.

The good news is that I remain enamored with Republic Wireless, its service and the concept behind what they are doing here. Moreover they have a new phone coming shortly: The Moto X. While I can’t yet speak from experience (I can now and it is a HUGE improvement!**), by all accounts this one will be a major step forward and will put to rest many of the Defy XT’s shortcomings.

So, if you are a cut-to-the-chase sort, here’s the bottom line:

  • Republic is a fine company with which to deal and very much worth supporting.
  • Wait for the Moto X phone before you sign up. It shouldn’t be long. It is due in November.

The Phones.

Understand first, I am not a fan of technology. I am a fan of useful and reliable tools. When a technology reaches the point of being a useful and reliable tool, I’m on board. Unfortunately, many technology companies are infamous for using their customers in their beta-testing.

Depending on your perspective and inclinations, you will have read that last either as:

“Those rascals!”

Or

“Of course! That’s what makes tech so cool. I get to be part of the process!”

I’m a “those rascals” kind of guy and when they, and you “of course” types, get it sorted out, please let me know.

The problem with the Defy XT is that it is very much a phone for the “of course” types and since it is also tech that’s a couple of generations old, they have long since moved on. Time to just bury the thing. Thankfully, that’s what Republic is on the verge of doing.

In the beginning, I started a log to keep track of its many shortcomings. But with its pending demise, wading thru all those points in this post seems, well, rather pointless.

What is interesting, at least to me, is why Republic chose to go with such a flawed phone to begin with. The answer to that, apparently, is that Republic has the potential to break the expensive strangle hold other cell phone service providers have on us. That, it seems, has made the many cell phone manufacturers reluctant to supply Republic with their products. The revenue at this point would be peanuts and the risk of offending their bigger customers not worth taking.

Understandable. Cowardly, but understandable. Maybe shortsighted, too. Republic looks to have a very bright future, especially if the Moto X meets expectations.

Republic Wireless, the service.

When the nice PR lady first approached me about doing a review, her timing could not have been better. Our then cell phone service had just tried to hose us. Again.

My daughter had returned from her year studying in France. While she was there, we suspended her cell phone service. Part of that service was $10 a month for unlimited texting.

When she returned, we called and re-instated her service. With the first bill came a $400+ charge for texting. Oh, you wanted the unlimited monthly texting for $10 again? After an irate call or two they cut the bill to $100. Better, but being hosed is being hosed.

That, in a microcosm, is my (and I dare say your) typical experience with cell phone, and for that matter cable, companies.  They are forever looking to pad the bill and boost your monthly costs. Hoping you won’t notice and/or will let it slide. In dealing with them you’d best be always on your guard. And who needs or wants that? Especially with an alternative on the horizon.

So my first, last and only real question for the nice RW PR lady was this:

“Is there anything, anywhere I can do with this phone that will ever cost me more than $19 a month?”

“Nope,” she said.

“Just to be absolutely clear. Nothing at all? Intentionally? Unintentionally?”

“Nope.”

Impressively, this has proven to be true. I’ve used it here, there and everywhere, including unlimited calls, texts and data to and from South America and it is $19 each month.

Here’s my understanding of how it works:

Whenever you are in range of a wi-fi connection you connect and, just like your laptop, the phone uses the internet to download data. And also text messages and your phone calls.

If you don’t have a wi-fi connection, it defaults to the Sprint network and uses regular cell service. The idea is that most of the time, you’ll be using the internet and that is essentially free. The cellular service usage is typically small enough that the prices can be as low as they are.

Of course, the cellular service is only as extensive and as good as Sprint. Beyond their range, the phone only works in wi-fi mode. So, in South America for instance, my phone worked only when I had a wi-fi connection, just like a laptop or tablet.

cafe san sebas

Cafe San Sebas, Cuenca, Ecuador

My RW phone knows this place.

I quickly got in the habit of asking for wi-fi passwords where ever I went. The phone then remembers all of these and I have to say I found it pretty cool to return to my favorite cafes in Ecuador and have my phone automatically connect, just like coming home.

But for me the biggest plus is just dealing with a cell phone company that is not plotting to screw me. This is so refreshing it makes up for the shortcomings of even the Defy XT. Add to that the cost, which is a fraction of what we’d been paying, and you know why I plan to stay with RW. It kind of reminds me of dealing with Vanguard. And if you’ve read much of this blog, you know just how high that praise is.

This is not the service for you if….

….you value having the state-of-the-art newest and best phone from the company of your choice. For now, at least, RW = Motorola.

….are dependent on your phone for your business. In all candor, since I haven’t tested the new Moto X, I can’t yet recommend RW if your phone is also a critical tool.

However, this is the service for you if, like me, you value…

….low-cost. $19.95 per month for unlimited calling, texting and data – with no hidden traps – is tough to beat.

….supporting a company that is trying to improve service and choice in an industry that sorely needs it.

….supporting a company that, like Vanguard, truly seems to see value and success in putting the needs of their customers first.

….fast, friendly and competent tech help. Republic doesn’t offer a help-line number to call but they do offer several other options ranging  from a community forum right on down to snail mail (!). Personally, email works best for me and they’ve responded much, much quicker than the 48 hour window they promise.

moto s

Moto X

With the new Moto X phone they are now offering four different plans. Here they are, as described by RW and cribbed directly from their website:

$5 Wi-Fi only plan
This is the most powerful tool in your arsenal of options. Why? You can drop your smartphone bill —at will— to $5. If you’re interested in getting serious about cutting costs, you can use this tool to best leverage the Wi-Fi in your life to reduce your phone bill. It’s also the ultimate plan for home base stickers and kids who don’t need a cellular plan. It’s fully unlimited data, talk and text —on Wi-Fi only.

 $10 Wi-Fi + Cell Talk & Text
One of our members, 10thdoctor said :  “I use WiFi for everything, except when I’m traveling and for voice at my school.” Yep, this is the perfect plan for that. Our members are around Wi-Fi about 90% of the time. During that 10% of the time where you’re away from Wi-Fi, this plan gives you cellular backup for communicating when you need to. This plan both cuts costs and accommodates what’s quickly becoming the norm: a day filled with Wi-Fi.

$25 Wi-Fi + Cell (3G) Talk, Text & Data
Lots of people are on 3G plans today and are paying upwards of $100 a month on their smartphone bills. That’s nuts. This plan is here for you during the times when you need the backup of cell data. For folks who want to surf Facebook and check email in the car (as a passenger!) or who travel regularly for work, this option lets them enjoy all the benefits of Wi-Fi with the luxury of 3G cellular data. You may find you only want this cellular back up part of the month —no problem! Switching during the month to the $5 or $10 plan is easy, and is a great way to keep more money in your wallet.

 $40 Wi-Fi + Cell (4G) Talk, Text & Data
We heard you tell us that you wanted a super fast option, so we added this arrow to your quiver. This plan is here for you when you’ve got a road warrior kind of month, and you’ve got a serious need for speed. Have to get work done on a long train ride? And need to work fast? This is your guy. Just like the other plans, it’s just a few clicks away.

Will I be able to switch between plans?
Yes! When you purchase a new Moto X phone, you’ll be able to choose whatever plan you like—and you can also switch plans up to twice per month as your needs change. For example, if you know you’ll be taking a vacation and might require more cell data one week, you can switch to a cell data plan right from your phone and then switch back to a Wi-Fi “friendlier” plan once you return home.

That ability to switch as your needs dictate seems pretty sweet to me.

In short, despite the rough go with the Defy XT I’ll be sticking with Republic. Truth is, for all the issues, it was very cool to be able to call the USA from South America and still not push my monthly cost past that $19.95. Of course, that only worked when I had wi-fi available. But still, very cool.

Even more cool is the monthly savings and the sense that I’m now dealing with a company not looking to pick my pocket at every opportunity.

Assuming they stay true to this path, Republic’s future looks bright to me. I expect they will continue to expand and improve their service and the hardware.

I might even give the new Moto X a whirl.**

If you’d like to give Republic a try yourself, just click on the ad below. By way of full disclosure if you sign up, this blog will earn a commission.

Note:

*This phrase, in writer’s circles, is widely regarded as the most cliched, hackneyed and simply worst possible opening line in all of fiction. So of course I’ve always longed to use it. Now I have. I promise not to again.

Updates: 

November 14, 2013. The new Moto X phone has now been released. With it I can now give RW my unfettered recommendation. So if you want to give them a try, the time has come.

**June, 2014. Both my daughter and I just upgraded to the X and already the X is showing itself to be a major improvement. We were able to trade in our XTs for $100 credits. Good riddance!

My wife chose the G and she too is now free of Verizon.

Related

Important Resources

  • Talent Stacker is a resource that I learned about through my work with Jonathan and Brad at ChooseFI, and first heard about Salesforce as a career option in an episode where we featured Bradley Rice on the Podcast. In that episode, Bradley shared how he reached FI quickly thanks to his huge paychecks and discipline in keeping his expenses low. Jonathan teamed up with Bradley to build Talent Stacker, and they have helped more than 1,000 students from all walks of life complete the program and land jobs like clockwork, earning double or even triple their old salaries using a Salesforce certification to break into a no-code tech career.
  • Credit Cards are like chain saws. Incredibly useful. Incredibly dangerous. Resolve to pay in full each month and never carry a balance. Do that and they can be great tools. Here are some of the very best for travel hacking, cash back and small business rewards.
  • Personal Capital is a free tool to manage and evaluate your investments. With great visuals you can track your net worth, asset allocation, and portfolio performance, including costs. At a glance you'll see what's working and what you might want to change. Here's my full review.
  • Betterment is my recommendation for hands-off investors who prefer a DIFM (Do It For Me) approach. It is also a great tool for reaching short-term savings goals. Here is my Betterment Review
  • NewRetirement offers cool tools to help guide you in answering the question: Do I have enough money to retire? And getting started is free. Sign up and you will be offered two paths into their retirement planner. I was also on their podcast and you can check that out here:Video version, Podcast version.
  • Tuft & Needle (T&N) helps me sleep at night. They are a very cool company with a great product. Here’s my review of what we are currently sleeping on: Our Walnut Frame and Mint Mattress.
  • Vanguard.com

Filed Under: Life, Stuff I recommend

« Case Study #3: Let’s get Tom to Latin America!
Case Study #4: Using the 4% rule and asset allocations. »

Comments

  1. Antonio says

    October 29, 2013 at 8:20 pm

    I had my wife try it first 😛 She hates the Defy XT. And how couldn’t you (a really terrible smart(?!) phone), especially if you’re coming from an iPhone. But she’ll still be on board for the reasons stated here. And I’ll be on board as soon as Moto X is available 😉

    Keep up with this awesome blog. I’m always looking forward to read new posts here. You, MMM and Mad Fientist are my north star for FI and more.

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      October 29, 2013 at 9:55 pm

      Welcome Antonio…

      Being grouped with MMM and MF is high praise indeed. Thanks!

      Interesting your wife had the same reaction coming from an iPhone. I came to it from a dumb phone. 😉

      Reply
  2. Prob8 says

    October 29, 2013 at 9:55 pm

    Thanks for this post. Although I am perfectly happy with my dumb phone using Airvoice Wireless, my wife has been limping along with an old iPhone 3GS. Your review confirms I made the right decision to wait on asking her to take a chance on the Defy XT. Sounds like a craptastic phone. Perhaps I’ll have her test out the Moto X when it comes out next month. Still not sure about the Sprint network though.

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      October 29, 2013 at 10:09 pm

      I was happy enough with my dumb phone too, it was just the plan cost so much. RW came along at the right time for me. Although it would have been nice if this new phone was out six months ago. 😉

      I was concerned about Sprint too, having heard bad things. Might just been my usage, but I really have had no complaints on that score.

      Reply
  3. Chris says

    October 29, 2013 at 10:59 pm

    Thank you for the thorough write up since I have been asking about this through the comment section of the site. I prefer your blog over the aforementioned blogs for reasons I will keep to myself . I have enjoyed your case studies on various people and their financial situations. I have my own case but again, would want to keep parts of it private due to the very personal nature of aspects of it. Would it be possible to give this information for your take on it without it being posted? I have been an investor, in Vanguard no less, for nearly twenty years. Love what you do.

    All the Best, Chris

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      October 30, 2013 at 6:45 am

      Thanks Chris…

      Glad you like it.

      More and more recently, perhaps as the blog has grown, I’ve received requests for private consultations.

      If you haven’t already, please take a moment to read the disclaimer page: https://jlcollinsnh.com/disclaimer/

      I am not a financial advisor, nor do I aspire to be one. With the growth of the blog and the questions here, I have my hands full and am already struggling to keep up.

      Finally, I prefer to keep such conversations on the blog and accessible to others who may have similar concerns. Especially with all the time and effort that goes into them.

      At this point there is quite a bit of material here already. Using the search button at the top of the right-hand column should get you most of what I think on most subjects.

      Good luck!

      Reply
  4. Jian says

    October 29, 2013 at 11:19 pm

    Thanks for sharing your experience with RW.

    I wish there was an equivalent of RW among broadband internet providers! The phone and cable companies are ALL evil and I hate hate hate them, but I have no alternative!! Hoping and wishing, one of these days, a disruptor will emerge to crush them all …

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      October 30, 2013 at 6:47 am

      Me too!

      What we really need is a Vanguard of cable, internet and cell services. 🙂

      I’m hoping RW might prove to be such a disruptor. Bright future for them if they are.

      Reply
      • Tom says

        October 30, 2013 at 11:42 am

        Jim – The Vanguard of cable, internet, and cell services may be FreedomPop. I have their hotspot which gives 500MB of free 4G per month (3G costs extra). They also have the Freedom Phone, which offers 500 text, 500MB 3G/4G data, and 200 voice minutes free per month, as well as home internet for free (1GB), $10/mo (5GB), or $15/mo (10GB). (The phone is currently out of stock, so if you sign up, they will email you when the next stock is available.)

        Best part is that you can share data between friends, and they update your data allotments by 50MB for each friend you bring (3 for me so far, so I have 650MB per month).

        Their systems are a bit more beta than RP (e.g. you cannot have more than one device per email [so I plan to sign up for the phone with a second email and then share data between the two accounts]).

        Links to various services below, plus a MMM article which introduced me to the service in March:
        http://www.freedompop.com/phone
        http://www.freedompop.com/wireless-internet
        http://www.freedompop.com/devices/freedom-hub-burst
        http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/03/12/a-side-dish-of-free-data-for-your-cheap-iphone-plan/

        I put my affiliate link in the website entry, but you can use the links directly above in case you don’t want to use mine (though if you do, I believe that you’ll get an extra 50MB like I do if you sign up).

        One recommendation: if you decide to get the wireless hotspot, give FreedomPop your email address, then wait at least 24 hours. When I did that, they sent me an email with a bonus coupon for a $25 Amazon gift card, plus free shipping on the device. That means that my $50 refurbished hotspot effectively cost $25 with no shipping charge. Not sure if this was a limited time promotion, but at least one of my friends who signed up got the same deal.

        Customer support is superb. I had a problem with the battery only holding half a charge, so I emailed them on a Wednesday, they responded on Thursday that the battery was on its way, and it arrived from California to my home on the east cost by Monday.

        I really enjoy using the 4G hotspot and look forward to getting the phone when it becomes available again. Thanks for your site, Jim!

        Reply
        • jlcollinsnh says

          October 30, 2013 at 7:00 pm

          Welcome Tom…

          and thanks for the kind words!

          Thanks too for the rundown and sources for FreedomPop. Ya gotta love alternatives. 🙂

          Reply
    • JKenny says

      October 30, 2013 at 6:19 pm

      I second that emotion!! At this point I feel like I’m tolerating a cable bill just so we can watch ESPN. Any creative people out there have a way to get Comcast-less ESPN?

      Reply
      • John says

        November 2, 2013 at 9:38 am

        As someone who dropped their satellite tv a few months ago, I can tell you that I sometimes plan my trips to the gym around a football game. A three hour workout can be a bit long, but a fair amount of that is at low intensity. Of course a gym membership is not the most frugal one can be, but it’s something else I already pay for. You could also visit friends who have ESPN at opportune times.

        Reply
  5. Done by Forty says

    October 30, 2013 at 2:10 am

    Great review. We are currently with PTel and use a $10 pay as you go card about once every month to six weeks, mainly using the same strategy you note here (use wifi for calls/browsing/apps/texting). But Republic Wireless is the company that tempts us away from time to time, since it automatically just switches your phone from wifi to mobile networks as needed. Currently, we just turn data off as we’re almost always in wifi, but it would be nice to use the 3G/4G network occasionally if we had the need…

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      October 30, 2013 at 6:51 am

      Thanks DbF…

      What intrigues me with the new Moto X phone is the variety of plans (as I copied and pasted from the RW website into the post) and the ability to switch each month between them as needed.

      Seems very cool and this, along with getting the better phone, is why I’ll likely switch when the time comes.

      Reply
  6. Laura says

    October 30, 2013 at 7:41 am

    I was on Republic Wireless for the last 2 years, and found it totally adequate
    (although the phone was very much not my favorite), but then unfortunately I combined moving to an area with very poor Sprint service with taking a job where I was required to be available by phone at all times… So I’m just waiting to hear about Sprint network improvement here so I can go back to supporting the good guys.
    It isn’t that I am actually paying any more monthly based on my employer reimbursement, it is just that AT&T is an evil empire that I don’t love supporting (although I have a slightly higher hate rating for Verizon still).

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      October 30, 2013 at 9:47 am

      I’m with you Laura!

      Even when I had an employer paying for it I still resented the way cell companies treat their customers.

      But then, that’s what opens the door for outfits like RW. Hope they fully rise to the occasion.

      Reply
  7. Cash Rebel says

    October 30, 2013 at 8:16 am

    Great review! I’ve read a lot about RW because it seems like it could really change the game, but I’ve always struggled with communicating the benefits to, shall we say, more mature and elderly individuals. Though I don’t need a new phone right now, I’m incredibly excited to see how the moto x works out for RW. If it goes well, I’ll convert for sure.

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      October 30, 2013 at 9:49 am

      Thanks CR…

      Maybe they’ll give me a Moto X to test.

      If they do, I’ll let all ya all know and then what I think.

      Reply
  8. Cheryl says

    October 30, 2013 at 8:56 am

    I love your intro drama! Too funny! So seriously, you were able to call the States from Ecuador with no extra charges? And it was a good connection? Could you call Ecuadorian numbers too? Seems to good to be true so just double checking! If it is true, I am in!! I could have one phone for both places! Thanks for the great info!

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      October 30, 2013 at 9:54 am

      Thanks!

      I was hoping somebody liked my little melodrama. 😉

      Sometimes the connect was good from Ecuador, but most of the time it was sketchy. Very much like my experiences using Skype for international calls. It seemed to depend on how strong the wi-fi signal was and where I was in Ecuador it was rarely the greatest.

      I could only call US numbers. Unfortunately, nobody with an Ecuadorian number tried to call me, as far as I know. But I don’t think that works either.

      That said, Mr.MM had the same phone while we were there. Assuming we both had wi-fi we could have called eachother in Ecuador on our RW phones.

      Reply
  9. This Life On Purpose says

    October 30, 2013 at 10:12 am

    If you drop down to the $5 wifi only plan, it’s pretty much like having an iPod Touch or a similar device, but the iPod Touch “plan” isn’t a plan; it’s free.

    In any case, how was South America? I would love to head down there in the next little while 🙂 What were your favourite spots?

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      October 30, 2013 at 11:13 am

      Wow, there is no short or easy answer to that question. 🙂

      Ecuador has drawn me back three times now. Volcanos, the Pacific, friendly people and colonial cities provide the pull.My favorite places there are Cuenca, San Clemente and Hacienda Cusin where we held the Chautauqua. But that’s leaving out quite a few other very cool spots.

      In Peru Machu Picchu lives up to its awesome reputation and is worth wading thru the other tourist to visit. Not something I say about many places. The white volcanic stone city of Arequipa is my favorite in that country.

      In Bolivia Salar de Uyuni is an incredible experience as is just living at 12,000+ feet for a couple of weeks.

      Angel Falls in Venezuela cascades off a high plateau right out of the Lost World. It’s the highest in the world and the plane ride into the little jungle village of Canaima is worth the trip all by itself. As is the ride up river to the falls in the dugout canoes. But that was many years ago.

      Go Curry Cracker now has me jonesing to return to the Silver Cities of Mexico: http://www.gocurrycracker.com/our-1000-a-month-home-in-san-miguel-de-allende-mexico/

      But next up is Guatemala, a new frontier for us.

      While this is mostly a financial blog, I have written a bit about travels and you can find those posts here:
      https://jlcollinsnh.com/category/travels/

      Where are you planning to go?

      Reply
    • Executioner says

      October 30, 2013 at 8:22 pm

      Agreed, the $5 plan is pointless. Just download the Google Voice app and you can do everything for free instead of paying $5 per month.

      Reply
      • jlcollinsnh says

        October 30, 2013 at 9:15 pm

        Mmmm…

        I guess I’d see it as a low cost place holder between the times I needed something more.

        Reply
  10. Rick says

    October 30, 2013 at 11:42 am

    Thank you so much for first bringing RW to my attention in an earlier blog post. I currently have a dumb phone provided by my employer at no cost to me but I will lose that if we make the switch to BYOD currently under consideration. If that happens, I will become an RW customer because I heard about RW from you. I will share this on my blog so you might get more referrals.

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      October 30, 2013 at 12:16 pm

      Welcome Rick….

      and thanks!

      Referrals are always the highest praise. 🙂

      Reply
  11. Raquel says

    October 30, 2013 at 1:32 pm

    Love your post. Big fan and long time lurker here. Does it receive and send text messages?

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      October 30, 2013 at 1:39 pm

      Welcome Raquel…

      and thanks for the kind words!

      Unfortunately, no on the text messages….

      Reply
      • Lester says

        November 18, 2013 at 8:15 pm

        Republic sends texts over both Wi-Fi and cellular. It was picture messaging (MMS) that was an issue – It wasn’t something they had any control over – apparently the big national carriers had to be forced to play nice with carriers like Republic Wireless. Once that happened it took a number of months to get them to actually connect all the infrastructure … Republic just posted on their Facebook page last week that MMS is now available over Wi-Fi with all the national carriers – including Verizon.

        Reply
        • jlcollinsnh says

          November 18, 2013 at 8:16 pm

          Thanks Lester…

          good to know. Does it work now on the Defy phone too?

          Reply
  12. John says

    October 30, 2013 at 2:15 pm

    Good to hear RW is coming out with a new phone. Been stuck on Sprint contract for 2 years after getting my son an IPhone, which was stolen about a month in. So for $200 a month my two sons have text/voice phones and my wife and I have Android 2.3 phones. I’ve been waiting with anticipation to switch at the end of the year when the contract(s) are up, but have heard some bad reviews and was wondering if I needed to rethink. I’m not sure we’d even notice a downgrade with the DefyXT, but the MotoX should be seen as an upgrade. Still unsure about the lack of texting pictures, I’ve personally never even considered it and have only received a couple, but my wife occasionally does it and the kids probably do to. But cutting the bill 50-75%, they might have to suck it up.

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      October 30, 2013 at 6:37 pm

      seems a small loss for a big saving to me. 🙂

      Reply
    • Jess says

      November 1, 2013 at 10:33 pm

      Why not check into paying the early termination fee? I have done that before and it was cheaper than the remaining monthly charges. I believe with Verizon it’s about 10 dollars a month for each remaining month. Of course, it could have changed in the last several years.

      Reply
    • Taylor says

      November 18, 2013 at 8:17 pm

      Signed up right after getting their email … Got my Moto X today – S W E E T! Seamless handover between Wi-Fi and cellular. Much better voice quality over Wi-Fi. I think we will stay on the $10 plan most of the month – these guys are fair – you can change plans right on the device up to two times per month and they prorate to the lesser plan. About time someone credible gave the big carriers a run for their money.

      Reply
  13. Brent says

    October 30, 2013 at 8:39 pm

    Well, I can only hope that something like this eventually makes it through the rigorous oligopoly of Canadian telecom companies one day up here. Fortunately in my case work gives me a device so I can only get so angry about cell phone bills but as we all know it’s infuriating dealing with them. I’m sure a large portion of their profits come from company policies of over-billing.

    On another note thanks for the enjoyable readings jlcollinsnh. I’ve poured over most of your blog and have found it very informative and inspiring.

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      October 30, 2013 at 9:14 pm

      Welcome Brent….

      and thanks. Glad you’re enjoying it around here.

      I didn’t know what the cell situation was up in Canada. Hope you get some better options soon.

      There seems to be so much hostility toward the major players, it seems any upstart company that can break in will have a field day. If I were an exec in one of the big guys it sure would keep me up at night.

      Reply
      • Woody says

        March 5, 2016 at 8:33 pm

        If I were an exec in one of the big guys, I’d be plotting a startup against my current ‘big guy’. Bet I’d be the winner.
        Woody

        Reply
        • jlcollinsnh says

          March 6, 2016 at 12:46 am

          Ha!

          Even better.

          Reply
  14. SavvyFinancialLatina says

    October 31, 2013 at 3:25 pm

    This is interesting! My husband and I both have work phones, so we don’t have cell phone bills, but my mom is on the T-mobile plan. I want to see a review on the moto x and then I’ll consider her switching.

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      November 1, 2013 at 11:37 am

      If they give me one, I’ll review it!

      Reply
  15. Maverick says

    November 1, 2013 at 3:53 am

    I’d be all in on RW if they would partner with a real wireless carrier like Verizon. My Verizon calls always go through (similar to my reliability experience with Vanguard). Sprint coverage harks back to when Verizon was young. Your call quality experience you shared while on WiFi is just not acceptable to me. Can you hear me now? 🙂

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      November 1, 2013 at 11:37 am

      Yeah. Call quality is an issue. But I can’t tell if it is the wi-fi, the phone or Sprint…. 😉

      Reply
      • Maverick says

        November 18, 2013 at 1:13 am

        According to the Sprint website, I should be okay for coverage in my area. I’ve ordered the Moto X and will try RW for a month on the $10/mo plan. I will continue to keep my Verizon phone during the RW trial period and report back here briefly on my experience. If all works out okay, I am planning to drop my Verizon wireless and Verizon landline as well. Note: MMM recently reports that RW service transfer to Verizon when Sprint cell service is not found? If true, then I should be good. I’ll see…

        Reply
        • jlcollinsnh says

          November 18, 2013 at 9:22 am

          Congratulations!

          I look forward to your review.

          As of yesterday I also have Moto X on the way and am very much looking forward to it.

          Reply
          • Maverick says

            November 25, 2013 at 4:46 am

            FYI, my background / experience:

            – My wife and I have had a flip phones with Verizon for many years; except for the early days, their calls now always go through.
            – Quality of voice call is my #1 concern, text and data are icing on the cake.
            – I have been very skeptical of the quality of other services like Sprint.
            – I ordered from RW the Moto X with $10 plan on 11/14, received on 11/22 and expect to test for 30 days before making final decision.
            – Turned on the Moto X and received errors while activating. After about six or so power on/off cycles, activation was completed and updates were performed automatically. I never had to contact customer service.
            – I made calls, text and data exchange using my FIOS WiFi with no issues.
            – Next I made a call on WiFi and told the other party that I was going to shut off my WiFi router…about two seconds later I could hear the other party via cellular. Not instant, but I can live with this short delay, I thought.
            – Finally, I travelled to a house with no WiFi in a rural area, went into the basement with 10 inch concrete walls and made several cellular calls with a very weak signal. All voice communication was similar to my Verizon service…clear. There is some slight difference in sound quality, but I believe that is just the difference in the handsets.
            – Conclusion, so far so good on my trial period. If no issues, I plan to cancel both my Verizon account of two flip phones and my Verizon house phone service within 30 days.
            – The Moto X is a very nice phone with a good camera. My only concern is dropping/damaging it and having to replace out of pocket.

          • jlcollinsnh says

            November 25, 2013 at 2:06 pm

            Thanks Maverick….

            Nicely done review. From everything I hear the Moto X is the bees knees and with it RW is now worthy of my unfettered recommendation!

  16. Shashi says

    November 26, 2013 at 4:45 pm

    JC,

    Visited your blog today after reading your post (from May 26, 2012) on MMM and I like your style. I will be visiting your blog frequently from now on. Thanks for sharing your experience.

    My wife and I switched to RW (Defy XT +$19 plan) from AT&T. We have very low expectations from our phone and Defy XT works just fine for us. I am more excited about the savings..monthly saving of $60 for us and $18k(60*12*25 – using 4% rule) less in required retirement savings 🙂

    Last month we were in Canada and used RW to make calls to friends in US. We made calls from cafes, restaurants, airports and BnBs. It worked very well whenever the wi-fi connection was good. Next month, we will be in Guatemala for 17 days and will be testing ‘US calling over wi-fi’.

    I will be definitely spend some time reading about your travels. In the comments I read that you are planning a trip to Guatemala….let me know if I can be of any help.

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      November 26, 2013 at 5:07 pm

      Thanks Shashi…

      and welcome. Glad you found your way over here.

      I think that’s the key to the Defy — low expectations. And it is cool to be able to call US numbers free from anywhere in the world that has a wi-fi connection. That and the cheap price has kept us with it. The Moto X now really make it first rate. 🙂

      When and where in Guatemala are you going to be? First trip?

      Reply
      • Shashi says

        November 26, 2013 at 8:20 pm

        Yes, first trip to Guatemala. We fly in and out of Guatemala City (Dec 14-Dec31). We will be spending 3-4 days each in Semuc Champey, Flores, Antigua and Lake Atitlan.

        Reply
  17. Eric Bahn says

    December 16, 2013 at 12:50 pm

    JC, thanks so much for the Republic Wireless recommendation. I just switched over two weeks ago, and it’s been decent. The concept behind the company is awesome, but there is still a long way to go before the execution matches the expectations I had. Still, way better than the $199.88/month I used to pay Verizon.

    I wrote a full review of RW here and mentioned you a few times: http://lifeafterliquidity.com/2013/12/16/republic-wireless/

    Thanks and keep up the great work! I get so much out of this blog and it has really shifted my strategy for achieving financial freedom.

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      December 16, 2013 at 4:14 pm

      My pleasure, Eric…

      and agreed — they have a ways to go.

      I read your review — nicely done.

      Like you, so far they’ve snubbed me on providing the MotoX to test. Intially they couldn’t wait to get one to me, but nothing. Last note I had from them back on Dec 2 they said they were trying but nothing yet. They also say it is a cost issue, but that would be incredibly short sighted. Too bad….

      Reply
      • Eric Bahn says

        December 16, 2013 at 5:49 pm

        Thank you JC!

        Wow, I can’t believe they didn’t send you a free phone to test. That is a big miss on RW’s part to serve an influencer well (as I wrote in my review, your review was a big factor for my switch).

        Thanks again for your blog! You’ve inspired me to start writing. Wishing you well.

        Reply
        • jlcollinsnh says

          December 16, 2013 at 6:54 pm

          Yeah, apparently they don’t think I’m as important as I do. 😉

          Good luck with your blog!

          Reply
          • Eric Bahn says

            December 16, 2013 at 6:55 pm

            FOOLS! 🙂

  18. Mike says

    December 16, 2013 at 8:34 pm

    Not to bash RW- Here is where I have a couple of reservations

    What happens when the public WiFi in area gets filled up. A lot of times I find public WiFi is bogged down- I assume at that moment I don’t get to make a call or (if paid extra) I become a Sprint customer.

    I know the phone prioritizes WiFi to save $. How bad does the WiFi have to get signal/speed to hand off to Sprint? T-Mobile does WiFi right, it’s FREE and a secondary source.

    If no signal is available on the T-Mobile network or the roaming to AT&T it will choose WiFi- like when your underground in a basement. I can go to 35orless and have unlimited nationwide cellular network.

    The MOTO X is nice but Nexus 5 is great and about the same price as RW Moto X. If 35orless screws up I can take that phone to any other GSM provider- can’t do that with a RW Moto X.

    I think the RW service is neat but the whole bit about getting WiFi passwords to make calls and in the end to be stuck on Sprint when I get out of WiFi range (The network rated worse recently by Consumer reports) just doesn’t excite me

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      December 16, 2013 at 11:14 pm

      Hi Mike…

      Well, I can’t speak for the MotoX; as mentioned in my reply to Eric they haven’t seen fit to send me one.

      And as you know from my post, I have my own reservations. Interestingly, the wi-fi part hasn’t been one.

      I can easily manually switch to cell even when in wifi range and frequently chose to do so as the call reception seems better. There is a little button that appears for this when you make or receive a call.

      Asking for the wifi passwords in a new location also hasn’t really been an issue and I confess, silly as this is, I get a kick out of my phone then recognizing them in the future. For instance, there are cafes in Ecuador that will recognize my phone if I return. Kinda cool, I think. But maybe I’m just easily impressed. 😉

      I’ve also heard the complains about Sprint, but in my experience it has been OK.

      No question my old Verizon service was better, but not for the cost. But then I’m a fairly casual phone user these days. If my business depended on it, I’d likely have a different take.

      Thanks for sharing yours!

      Reply
      • Mike says

        December 19, 2013 at 2:37 pm

        Have you noticed any issues with inbound calls on WiFi going to voice mail immediately? I was talking with former RW user today. He thinks it had to do with WiFi from his cable carrier. Strong WiFi coverage so it wasn’t a signal problem

        Reply
        • Eric Bahn says

          December 19, 2013 at 2:42 pm

          I haven’t experienced these issues myself. But voice call quality even on WiFi isn’t that great for me. I’m on a pretty solid Comcast broadband line too.

          Reply
          • Mike says

            December 19, 2013 at 2:58 pm

            I assume it is a packet loss issue since basics WiFi does not have QOS or any priority for Voice. If you lose a packet on a data download no big deal, but voice it would be very noticeable

          • Eric says

            December 19, 2013 at 3:03 pm

            Thanks Mike, that’s a very plausable theory. Any thoughts on how to mitigate the issue?

          • Mike says

            December 19, 2013 at 5:54 pm

            I’m not an engineer (I did stay at Holiday Inn Express last night) It would have to be at the router level. You may have the ability to adjust QoS on your existing setup, pretty common stuff these days. Here is an article at laptop.com that goes over it. This would only help on your home system. No benefit for people with public WiFi to do this because it would limit access to bandwidth for their patrons

            http://blog.laptopmag.com/change-your-routers-quality-of-service-qos-settings-how-to

          • Eric says

            December 19, 2013 at 10:49 pm

            Thank you Mike!

        • jlcollinsnh says

          December 19, 2013 at 6:53 pm

          I haven’t had that problem Mike…

          but I do notice if I switch an in bound call from wifi to cell it will disconnect and redial to make this happen. The process is automatic, but confusing to the person on the other end. 😉

          Reply
  19. john says

    December 19, 2013 at 2:20 pm

    Subscribed to RW last week (12/11/13) moto x phone is as advertised and price is by far and away the best deal found.
    Negatives, was unable to port old # and RW has no customer service other than email which in some cases took more than 24 hours to get reply.
    Will take into consideration the time of year being part of the slow response time ( I Hope)
    Still have a few weeks to make make final decision, will follow up!

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      December 19, 2013 at 6:57 pm

      Congrats John!

      I hope the info here was helpful?

      I also had to change phone #s and was told it is because I’m in NH. Same issue for folks in Alaska and HI, I believe. Was that the issue for you, or something else?

      Please do fill us in on your MotoX experience after you’ve had a chance to wring it out a bit.

      Reply
  20. Steve C says

    December 30, 2013 at 4:40 pm

    I switched to Republic Wireless a few months back from Verizon. They were killing me with the monthly charges. Around $120 a month. Verizon does have the best 4G coverage. I won’t deny that. I got the Republic plan for $25 a month. Unlimited calls, text and data with 3G. I dont have the 4G on my plan. It takes a few seconds longer for the internet to load compared to Verizon. But for $100 a month savings its well worth it. If you get the 4G with Republic remember you might not have use of it except in large cities. Im completely happy with the plan I have. I have no dropped calls. The switch from wifi to Sprint 3G is seamless. Those commercials for Verizon that show the map show the 4G map coverage only and 3G is pretty much everywhere so their ads are really misleading. It works great. Get the Moto X phone and not the Defy (it sucks). The Moto X rocks. Yes, you will have to pay $299 for the phone upfront but it pays for itself in a few months. Do the math and figure out your yearly cost compared with your current plan. Even if you have to pay an early termination fee it will save you money over the next year or two. I have a link that you can use to save $19 for the first month. Yes, it helps me with my bill too when you do. I won’t lie. For Christmas bonus my boss decided to let most of us go and I am unemployed. If you don’t like Republic, there is no contract. Just switch back. It is a great company.

    Reply
  21. Temitayo says

    December 31, 2013 at 9:26 pm

    I really don’t know why people are comparing republic wireless with Verizon.
    Forget the 4G ruse. I think verizon is too expensive and they are really not that exceptional. My choice is still republic wireless

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      January 3, 2014 at 8:53 am

      I’m with you, Temitayo!

      The Verizon service might be better, but it’s not that $$$$$ much better. 😉

      Then again, most people are easily lured into buying more expensive things than they need, be it cars, houses, toys or phones.

      Reply
  22. space says

    May 5, 2014 at 1:40 am

    Ah, Republic. There are a few things that apparently haven’t been touched on.

    1. Republic phones roam on Verizon. They are possibly one of the only Sprint MVNOs to do this, mostly due to the costs and risks involved that can cause problems for a small company (Republic is backed by Bandwidth.com, which is massive).

    2. None of the Republic phones are really good for data so far. The Moto X doesn’t support LTE on 800SMR, which will be a critical part of Network Vision (as it’ll do quite a bit with expanding coverage into buildings). EvDO is rather slow.

    3. Republic is using very complex technology to do all of this. As with all such things, it can break from time to time.

    4. There is a way to get the Moto X for a bit less than $300. Buy an old US Cellular Defy XT on EBay for about $20, then do the Jelly Bean trade in to get $100 off a new Moto X.

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      June 27, 2014 at 11:45 am

      Hi Space…

      I am just now noticing your contribution to the conversation.

      Very interesting points and I haven’t the background or experience to assess them.

      I can confirm #4. Both my daughter and I just upgraded to the X and were able to trade in our XTs for $100 credits. Good riddance!

      Already the X is showing itself to be a major improvement.

      Reply

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      • Cafe No Se
    • ► February (4)
      • Chautauqua 2014 preview, closing up for travel and other random cool things that caught my eye of late.
      • Case Study #10: Should Josiah buy his parents a house?
      • Case Study #9: Lars -- maximizing some good fortune and considering "dollar cost averaging"
      • Case Study #8: Ron's mother - she's doin' all right!
    • ► January (4)
      • roundup: Some random cool things
      • Stocks — Part XXI: Investing with Vanguard for Europeans
      • Case Study #7: What it looks like when everything financial goes wrong
      • 1st Annual Louis Rukeyser Memorial Market Prediction Contest 2013 results, and my forecast for 2014
  • ► 2013 (41)
    • ► December (4)
      • Closing up for the Holidays, see you in 2014
      • Betterment: a simpler path to wealth
      • Case Study 6: Helping an ill and elderly parent
      • Stocks -- Part XX: Early Retirement Withdrawal Strategies and Roth Conversion Ladders from a Mad Fientist
    • ► November (3)
      • Death, Taxes, Estate Plans, Probate and Prob8
      • Case Study #5: Zero to 2.6 million in 25 years
      • Case Study #4: Using the 4% rule and asset allocations.
    • ► October (3)
      • Republic Wireless and my $19 per month phone plan
      • Case Study #3: Let's get Tom to Latin America!
      • The Stock Series gets its own page
    • ► September (2)
      • Case Study #2: Joe -- off to a fast start!
      • Chautauqua 2013: A Week of Dreams
    • ► August (1)
      • Closing up shop plus an opening at Chautauqua, my new podcast, phone, book and other random cool stuff
    • ► July (1)
      • They Will Kill You For Your Shoes!
    • ► June (4)
      • Stocks -- Part VIII-b: Should you avoid your company's 401k?
      • Shilpan's Seven Habits to Live More with Less
      • Stocks -- Part XIX: How to think about money
      • My path for my kid -- the first 10 years
    • ► May (5)
      • Why your house is a terrible investment
      • Stocks — Part XVIII: Investing in a raging bull
      • Dining with the Ghosts of Sarah Bernhardt and Alfons Mucha
      • How we finally got the house sold
      • Stocks — Part XVII: What if you can't buy VTSAX? Or even Vanguard?
    • ► April (4)
      • Greetings from Prague & a computer question
      • Swimming with Tigers, a 2nd chance on the Chautauqua, a financial article gets it wrong and I'm off to Prague
      • Storage, Moving and Movers
      • Homeless, and a bit on the strategy of dollar cost averaging
    • ► March (4)
      • Wild Turkeys, Motorcycles, Dining Room Sets & Greed
      • Roots v. Wings: considering home ownership
      • How about that stock market?!
      • The Blog has New Clothes
    • ► February (5)
      • Meet Mr. Money Mustache, JD Roth, Cheryl Reed & me for a Chautauqua in Ecuador
      • High School Poetry, Carnival, cool ads and random pictures that caught my eye
      • Consignment Shops: Best business model ever?
      • Cafes
      • Stocks -- Part XVI: Index Funds are really just for lazy people, right?
    • ► January (5)
      • Social Security: How secure and when to take it
      • Fighting giraffes, surreal landscapes, dancing with unicorns and restoring a Vanagon
      • My plan for 2013
      • VITA, income taxes and the IRS
      • How to be a stock market guru and get on MSNBC
  • ► 2012 (53)
    • ► December (6)
      • See you next year....until then: The Origin of Life, Life on Other Worlds, Mechanical Graveyards, Great Art, Alternative Lifestyles and Finding Freedom
      • Stocks -- Part XV: Target Retirement Funds, the simplest path to wealth of all
      • Stocks -- Part XIV: Deflation, the ugly escort of Depressions.
      • Stocks Part XIV: Deflation, the ugly escort of Depressions.
      • Stocks -- Part XIII: The 4% rule, withdrawal rates and how much can I spend anyway?
      • How I learned to stop worrying about the Fiscal Cliff and you can too.
    • ► November (2)
      • Rent v. owning: A couple of case studies in Ecuador
      • So, what does a month in Ecuador cost anyway?
    • ► October (4)
      • See you in December....
      • Meet me in Ecuador?
      • The Podcast: You can hear me now.
      • Stocks -- Part XII: Bonds
    • ► September (6)
      • Stocks -- Part XI: International Funds
      • The Smoother Path to Wealth
      • Case Study #I: Putting the Simple Path to Wealth into Action
      • Tales of Bolivia: Calle de las Brujas
      • Stocks -- Part X: What if Vanguard gets Nuked?
      • Travels in South America: It was the best of times....
    • ► August (1)
      • Home again
    • ► June (4)
      • Yellow Fever, closing up shop for the summer and heading to Peru y Bolivia
      • I could not have said it better myself...
      • Stocks -- Part IX: Why I don't like investment advisors
      • Happy Birthday, jlcollinsnh; and thanks for the gift Mr. MM!
    • ► May (6)
      • Stocks -- Part VIII: The 401K, 403b, TSP, IRA & Roth Buckets
      • Mr. Money Mustache
      • The College Conundrum
      • Stocks -- Part VII: Can everyone really retire a millionaire?
      • Stocks -- Part VI: Portfolio ideas to build and keep your wealth
      • Stocks -- Part V: Keeping it simple, considerations and tools
    • ► April (6)
      • Stocks -- Part IV: The Big Ugly Event, Deflation and a bit on Inflation
      • Stocks -- Part III: Most people lose money in the market.
      • Stocks -- Part II: The Market Always Goes Up
      • Stocks -- Part 1: There's a major market crash coming!!!! and Dr. Lo can't save you.
      • You can eat my Vindaloo, mega lottery, Blondie, Noa, Israel Kamakawiwo 'Ole, art, film and a ride on the Space Shuttle
      • Where in the world are you?
    • ► March (7)
      • How I lost money in real estate before it was fashionable, Part V: Sold! and the taxman cometh.
      • How I lost money in real estate before it was fashionable, Part IV: I become a Landlord.
      • How I lost money in real estate before it was fashionable, Part III: The Battle is Joined.
      • How I lost money in real estate before it was fashionable, Part II: The Limits of the Law.
      • How I lost money in real estate before it was fashionable, Part I: Impossibly Naive.
      • You, too, can be conned
      • Armageddon and the value of practical skills
    • ► February (6)
      • Rent v. Owning Your Home, opportunity cost and running some numbers
      • The Casanova Kid, a Shit Knife, a Good Book, Having No Regrets, Dark Matter and a bit of Magic
      • What Poker, Basketball and Mike Whitaker taught me about Luck
      • How to Give like a Billionaire
      • Go ahead, make my day
      • Muk Finds Success in Tahiti
    • ► January (5)
      • Travels with "Esperando un Camino"
      • Beanie Babies, Naked Barbie, American Pickers and Old Coots
      • Selling the House and Adventures in Staging
      • The bashing of Index Funds, Jack Bogle and a Jedi dog trick
      • Magic Beans
  • ► 2011 (22)
    • ► December (1)
      • Dividend Growth Investing
    • ► November (2)
      • The Mummy's head, Particle Physics and "Knocking on Heaven's Door"
      • "It's Better in the Wind" or why I ride a motorcycle
    • ► October (1)
      • Lazy Days and School Days
    • ► July (2)
      • The road to Zanzibar sometimes goes thru Ecuador...
      • Johnny wins the lotto and heads to Paris
    • ► June (16)
      • Chainsaws, Elm Trees and paying for College
      • Stuff I’ve failed at: the early years
      • Snatching Victory from the Jaws of Defeat
      • The. Worst. Used. Car. Ever.
      • Top Ten reasons your future is so bright it hurts my eyes to look at it
      • The Most Dangerous Words Your Customer Can Say
      • How not to drown in The Sea of Assholes
      • What we own and why we own it
      • The Ten Sales Commandments
      • My ever so formal and oh so dry CV
      • How I failed my daughter and a simple path to wealth
      • The Myth of Motivation
      • Why you need F-you money
      • My short attention span
      • Why I can’t pick winning stocks, and you can’t either
      • The Monk and the Minister

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