WiFi calling leader Republic Wireless raises the bar again: Threatens estimated $52 billion in industry profits with new plans that refund customers for unused cell data
Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) July 07, 2015 -- In another industry disrupting move, WiFi calling leader Republic Wireless today launched new plans that will refund customers for all unused cellular data, dollar for dollar, in the form of a credit on their next month’s bill. If customers make no changes to how they use the service, the company estimates that 79 percent of its current subscribers will pay the same or less with the new offering. The new Republic Refund ™ plans, were crafted in collaboration with almost 2000 customers as part of its Republic Labs initiative.[ii]
“The cellular industry, largely dominated by 2 giant companies, has done a brilliant job convincing people that they need huge buckets of cellular data. The truth is that most people are within range of WiFi the majority of their day and therefore never use all the data the carrier made them buy. The industry profits wildly from this practice – an estimated $52 billion annually, and we are determined to change that,” David Morken, co-founder and CEO of Republic Wireless said.
“From day one, we’ve been on a tireless mission to drive the total cost of owning a smartphone lower by leveraging the power of WiFi to offer the best possible pricing on smartphone plans that consumers had ever seen,” Morken said.
“In 2011 we launched with an unheard of $19 all-in WiFi + cellular service plan and everyone who joined Republic Wireless from the larger carriers saved money. By 2013 the growth of WiFi made our $10 plan with unlimited cellular talk and text and zero cellular data, one of our most popular," Morken said. “Today, we deliver on our value mission again with these new plans. The thousands of customers who helped us test and build the Republic Refund™ plans averaged monthly bills of just $14.88, which represented a 31% savings vs. what these same customers were paying before.” he added.
The new Republic Refund™ plans allow customers to select plans that fit what they value most without worrying about overages or paying for what they didn’t use. Current customers can move to these new plans or stay with their current one.
• $5 – unlimited WiFi calling, texting and data (same)
• $10 – “Base Plan” - unlimited WiFi calling, texting and data + unlimited cellular calling and texting
• $17.50 – unlimited WiFi calling, texting and data + unlimited cell talk and & text, 0.5 GB on-net cell data
• $25 – unlimited WiFi calling, texting and data + unlimited cell talk and & text, 1 GB 4G on-net cell data
• $40 – unlimited WiFi calling, texting and data, unlimited cell talk and & text, 2 GB 4G on-net cell data
• Additional cell data - pay as you go for $15/GB
“This is a story about making the wireless industry accountable to consumers again. About an upstart company with a legacy of fearlessly innovating where nobody else is willing or able. This industry is long overdue for an overhaul.” Morken adds. “For those who say we are raising prices, that’s missing the bigger picture. WiFi is eating the world - A majority of our customers use much less than 1GB of cellular data a month. Wireless should not be priced like insurance, and no one should have to pay for the cellular data use of others. Republic is pioneering an entirely new model. With our new plans, customers will pay for exactly what they use – no more, no less.”
About Republic Wireless
Recognized as the winner of PC Magazine’s Annual Reader’s Choice Award, the top pre-paid service provider by Consumer Reports and named ‘Disruptor of the Year’ by Entrepreneur Magazine, Republic Wireless is on a mission to create smartphone service as it should be.
Republic Wireless, a division of Bandwidth, headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, is spearheading a wireless freedom movement to return value and control of the smartphone experience to members by leveraging the power of both WiFi and cellular networks. Our service uses WiFi in the home, office or anywhere else as the primary network for calls, texts and data. When outside of WiFi coverage, the smartphone works just like a typical smartphone on the cellular networks of national CDMA carriers. Visit http://www.republicwireless.com/ for more information. Media resource center here.
[i] The Smartphone by Elizabeth Woyke, published November 2014, UTNE Reader
[ii] Republic Labs Maestro Check-in, published June 25, 2015,
Media Relations, Republic Wireless, http://www.republicwireless.com, +1 919-238-1415, [email protected]
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