There’s no right or wrong way to get connected, but by tapping into the valuable WiFi that’s all around you, you’ll be on your way to more coverage, in more places, with less money coming out of your pockets every month.

With just a swipe here, and a toggle there, you’ll start seeing data savings of up to 50% for some of your favorite apps! So, take a look around and start watching the savings roll in.

Video Walk-throughs

Not sure where to start?

We’ve taken the liberty of ordering these video walk-throughs from some of the easiest and most effective setting changes, to more in-depth data-saving tips and tricks.

Step-by-Step Tutorials

Rather read than watch?

Click through the tutorials below for more information on things like connecting to WiFi and smarter ways to use your favorite apps.

  • Google Chrome

    • On Google Chrome’s main screen, tap the three dots in the top right corner to open the menu.

      Step 1

      On Google Chrome’s main screen, tap the three dots in the top right corner to open the menu.

    • Select Settings.

      Step 2

      Select Settings.

    • Scroll down and tap Data Saver.

      Step 3

      Scroll down and tap Data Saver.

    • Turn Data Saver on by tapping the slider in the top right-hand corner.

      Step 4

      Turn Data Saver on by tapping the slider in the top right-hand corner.

    • Now when you come back to this screen, you can track your progress and see how much data you’ve saved!

      Step 5

      Now when you come back to this screen, you can track your progress and see how much data you’ve saved!

  • Google Play Store

    • In the Play Store, tap the three bars in the top left corner of the screen to open the Menu.

      Step 1

      In the Play Store, tap the three bars in the top left corner of the screen to open the Menu.

    • Select Settings.

      Step 2

      Select Settings.

    • Tap Auto-update apps.

      Step 3

      Tap Auto-update apps.

    • Select Auto-update apps over Wi-Fi only.

      Step 4

      Select Auto-update apps over Wi-Fi only.

  • Facebook Autoplay

    • In the Facebook app, tap the Menu icon in the upper right corner of the screen.

      Step 1

      In the Facebook app, tap the Menu icon in the upper right corner of the screen.

    • Scroll down

      Step 2

      Scroll down

    • Tap App Settings.

      Step 3

      Tap App Settings.

    • Turn off Sync photos

      Step 4

      Turn off Sync photos

    • Set Autoplay video to WiFi only.

      Step 5

      Set Autoplay video to WiFi only.

  • YouTube

    • In the Youtube app, tap the three dots in the top right corner of the screen to open the Menu.

      Step 1

      In the Youtube app, tap the three dots in the top right corner of the screen to open the Menu.

    • On the Settings screen, tap General.

      Step 2

      On the Settings screen, tap General.

    • Check the box next to

      Step 3

      Check the box next to "Limit mobile data usage" to only allowing streaming HD video while you’re connected to WiFi.

  • Google Drive

    • In Drive, tap the three bars in the top left corner of the screen to open the Menu.

      Step 1

      In Drive, tap the three bars in the top left corner of the screen to open the Menu.

    • Select Settings.

      Step 2

      Select Settings.

    • Make sure the Transfer files only over Wi-Fi checkbox is checked.

      Step 3

      Make sure the Transfer files only over Wi-Fi checkbox is checked.

  • Google +

    • In Google+, tap the three dots in the top right corner of your screen to open the Menu.

      Step 1

      In Google+, tap the three dots in the top right corner of your screen to open the Menu.

    • Tap Settings.

      Step 2

      Tap Settings.

    • On the Settings screen, tap Auto Backup.

      Step 3

      On the Settings screen, tap Auto Backup.

    • Make sure the Roaming check box is not checked.

      Step 4

      Make sure the Roaming check box is not checked.

    • Set

      Step 5

      Set "Back up photos" and "Back up videos" to over Wi-Fi only.

  • Instagram

    • On the Instagram app’s main screen, tap the Profile icon in the bottom right corner of the screen.

      Step 1

      On the Instagram app’s main screen, tap the Profile icon in the bottom right corner of the screen.

    • Tap the three dots in the top right corner to open the Options screen.

      Step 2

      Tap the three dots in the top right corner to open the Options screen.

    • On the Options screen, scroll down and tap Cellular Data Use.

      Step 3

      On the Options screen, scroll down and tap Cellular Data Use.

    • Select the Use Less Data option. (Photos may take longer to load)

      Step 4

      Select the Use Less Data option. (Photos may take longer to load)

  • Open WiFi Notifications

    • Open the Republic App

      Step 1

      Open the Republic App

    • Click on the settings tab on the far right side of top navigation on the screen and choose

      Step 2

      Click on the settings tab on the far right side of top navigation on the screen and choose "WiFi settings".

    • Check the box next to

      Step 3

      Check the box next to "Ask me to join WiFi networks".

    • Now you'll start to see when there are open networks nearby

      Step 4

      Now you'll start to see when there are open networks nearby

    • You can permanently ignore a network (like a printer) by clicking the three dots on the right side of the pop-up.

      Step 5

      You can permanently ignore a network (like a printer) by clicking the three dots on the right side of the pop-up.

  • Skip WiFi Verification

    • Open the Republic App.

      Step 1

      Open the Republic App.

    • Click on the settings tab on the far right side of top navigation on the screen and choose

      Step 2

      Click on the settings tab on the far right side of top navigation on the screen and choose "WiFi settings".

    • Check the box next to

      Step 3

      Check the box next to "Help me with extra verification".

    • Click

      Step 4

      Click "Enable". Now when you verify a WiFi network once, you can ask your phone to remember it and skip over verification next time you're in range.

More Resources

What folks are saying.

  • How to save big using WiFi

    How to save big using WiFi

    Lots of people use data. We help you save money by unlocking opportunities to use more on WiFi...

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  • THE GROWTH OF GLOBAL WIFI

    THE GROWTH OF GLOBAL WIFI

    WiFi is everywhere. It’s the largest network you already use and it’s only getting bigger...

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  • WHAT COUNTRY HAS THE MOST WIFI?

    WHAT COUNTRY HAS THE MOST WIFI?

    There are currently over 47 million WiFi hotspots available worldwide,...

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  • DITCH THE DATA: HOW TO USE MORE WIFI ON YOUR APPS

    DITCH THE DATA: HOW TO USE MORE WIFI ON YOUR APPS

    As part of our ongoing effort to help you use more WiFi, I thought it’d be a good idea to show you..

    Read more

Share your WiFi tips and tricks.

  • Jim Chambers

    I just wish I had WiFi at work, then this would be great.

    • ΔИθᴎЎϻɸᵿƧ

      Jim, there are times that I don’t have wi-fi. I have it at home and at work, but usually nowhere else. Even so, my bill is just $12 to $13 monthly, including taxes.

      You wouldn’t have a data plan away from wi-fi, but you would still have cell service for unlimited calls and unlimited texts.

      If you want an unlimited data plan away from wi-fi, your whole bill would still be only $25 + tax. And with the “refund” plan, you would be refunded for any data you don’t use.

      • Jim Chambers

        My problem is I’m at work 10-12 hours a day, so I’m only on WiFi a couple hours a day. I try not to use it at work, but I’m still doing 1.4Gb a month of cell data. 🙁

  • Michael Mann

    I chose Republic Wireless because I had a consistently low monthly bill and more data than I needed (I usually hover around 1GB/month, far below the 5GB cap). Now I will need to worry about the cap, and will also feel anxious whenever I do use data for fear of missing out on a refund.

    The plan may cost less in the long run, but now I have to worry whenever I’m on data. Not thrilled with these changes.

    • KatelynN

      Not at all! If you’re using just 1GB per month, you’re gonna save tons! And, a big aspect of our powerful new app and plans is the ability to set it and forget it. There’s never any surprise billing and you’ll know exactly what you’re paying before you ever get your bill. There are no overages or hidden fees- we’re here to help and that’s also exactly what this page is for! There are so many small adjustments you can make to the apps you use every day that may not even affect how you use them, but will help in the long run with saving you even more cell data and, in turn, saving more on your monthly bill every month! If you’d like to talk more about plans, check out our plans concierge page here: https://community.republicwireless.com/community/knowledgecenter/concierge

      • Michael

        How is he saving “lots” when 1gig of data will now cost the same as 5gig used to?

        • Sean Goheen

          Well, first off, unless you are actually using most of the 5Gb of data, it is nowhere near the same price.

          The new plan with 1Gb of data is equivalent to the old 4G plan but with only 1Gb of data. $25 dollars is far less then $45 dollars.

          If you use the whole Gb, (Which VERY few Republic customers do, thanks to the improvements in the Republic app lately…) then it is the same cost as the 3G plan, but with 4G…

          And here is the thing, if you pay for service, and get a bunch of data that you don’t need, then either they are making a lot of money off of you, or you are subsidizing all of the high data users. Either way, it means that you are paying for more then you would if you were paying for just what you use.

        • Brian Delarmente

          I am paying 25 for 3g with this ill be paying 17 or less for 4g. I don’t use a lot of data but i do need it for my job.

      • Michael Mann

        My point is more that the amount I would occasionally save on the monthly bill isn’t quite worth the time I will spend worrying about hitting the 1GB cap during the month, or going out of my way to prevent data usage in order to maximize my refund. For $25/month, I used to have peace of mind. Now I’ll be going back to pinching megabytes.

        • Michael

          There are better options if you a interested in more like 1-2gig of data then RW. Boost mobile, cricket, and select T-mobile prepaid. Also I have heard you can work on custom plans with many cell providers by walking in and talking to them about reasonable needs for service and price.

          • http://iamamangoman.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/modi-kejriwal/ Gu’an

            Quoting Katelyn:

            As a current member, you can always try it (new refund plan) out, and switch back to stay on current plans through July 31st, 2016.

            I would have thought that should settle all these worries of current members!

          • http://www.stephen.com Stephen Linhart

            It would help a lot if we knew it was true. But it is not at all clear if users who switch can switch back, and if so, how.

          • Micket Riley

            Kicking the can down the road does not “settle” the valid concerns of 20-30% of their current userbase.

            The point is no less valid because the policy isn’t mandatory today versus a year from today.

            What an odd comment.

        • KatelynN

          If you’re hovering around 1GB of data, you are a perfect candidate to save on our new Refund plan! As a current member, you can always try it out, and switch back to stay on current plans through July 31st, 2016. But! We’re pretty certain, based on your usage, you will LOVE the new plan. We hear you, we don’t like to think about our plan each month either. That’s why we’ve made it easy to build a custom plan that fits your needs and never have to touch it again. You can use your phone and service exactly the way you do today, but with the Refund, your avg. monthly bill drops to just $21 a month. Although this might mean you pay a little more than you’re used to the first month you switch, it more than makes up for it every month after that.

          While the other guys charge you the same inflated rate no matter how much you use, we understand that your usage fluctuates. Ours does too. That is the EXACT issue we’re trying to solve for. Sometimes you use more data on WiFi. Sometimes you use more on cell data. The other guys want you to buy in way way up high – convincing you it’s “safe.” But that’s how they cut a HUGE profit margin – there are plenty of times when you might use way WAY less – making your avg. lower. We think if your avg. is lower, then your bill should be too. We will stop at nothing to make sure that we can help you save every month. Take a look at this chart that explains it a little more:

          • http://www.stephen.com Stephen Linhart

            Clearly you do not hear us. Also someone hovering around 1GB is the most common case for someone who is hurt by the new model. There are problems with this new price plans in terms of price and uncertainty, but I think the biggest problem may be that Republic used to feel like they cared about their customer base. Now you can’t even give us straight answers but give us marketing speak instead.

          • KatelynN

            Well I can assure you that’s not the case and honestly it physically pains any of us to hear that someone feels that we don’t care about our members. Our mission is to help people pay less on their phone bills and help everyone be able to enjoy the experience of owning a smartphone. WiFi is awesome. You know it, we know it. And we’re going to help you find and use more of it. We’ve always been a WiFi first company. This is nothing new. We’ve gone through every scenario trying to make sure that this helps, not hurts, our members, and the truth is, we can statistically prove in hard numbers that the VAST majority of our members ARE going to benefit greatly from these new plans- in fact, 71% of our customers use less than 500MB. The comment below from Sean Goheen has some great points, so be sure to read through his response as well to help clear things up for why this benefits those using around 1Gb of data.

          • Micket Riley

            Your hard data only proves that people who you forced into a model of behavior, are performing that model of behavior.

            If you did a blind study of potential, not existing, customers, you would be wrong.

            And that’s what you’re overlooking. So not only does this, in real economic terms, hurt a big chunk (but not a majority) of your current customer base, it makes you LESS competitive in attracting new customers overall.

            That, of course, will lead you to soak the membership you have left as it slowly erodes over time.

            No thanks.

          • Sean Goheen

            As a beta tester, they have listened very much to our feedback… People who hover around 1Gb aren’t going to be hurt by the new model, if you want a cushion in case you go over a Gb, simply buy an extra Gb up front, and your unused data will pay for most of or all of your next months extra gb of data.

    • Sean Goheen

      As someone who beta tested the new plan, let me explain something. On the old plans, you are already paying for 5 GB of data whether you use it or not, and you have to chose whether you want to pay a hefty premium for 4G or tough it out with 3G. With the new plan I now get 4G and spend less then I did on the 3G plan… That’s a big deal.

      With the new plan, you always get 4G when it is available, and you only pay for data that you use. How this works in practicality is, you buy how much data you want to have available (because Republic is prepaid) and then the cost of any unused data is subtracted from your next bill automatically. Didn’t use that extra Gb you bought the first month? It paid for the extra Gb your second month. The options to select how much data you want to buy have no effect on how much you actually pay in the end, they are simply a way for you to control your spending.

      Essentially it works similar to rollover, except that you are rolling over actual account credit, not data. So, unlike data rollover, you won’t end up with a mound of data that you won’t ever use, and If you decide to lower your data allowance, then what you get back will actually pay for your cell service too…

      Since you said you average close to 1Gb, I would suggest getting 2Gb of data each month then. You pay a little more up front for extra data cushion, but your month to month cost goes way down, and you still have a data cushion in case you do need that extra Gb of data.

      • Micket Riley

        You completely missed his point.

        If you’re trying to make the case that it’s cheaper, it just isn’t. Can it be cheaper as a bottom line? Sure. But you have to cripple your usage and watch everything like a hawk.

        Fact: You used to get up to 5GB for $40 including 4g.
        Fact: You now get up to 2GB for $40 including 4g.

        Sure if you use less, you get a tiny refund. But I think you, and Republic Wireless, are not doing an honest economic calculation of the utility of NOT having to stress towards the end of the month is worth.

        Further, you’re not pricing in the actual cost of limited phone selection, difficulty in getting device service, and lower resale value on used phones.

        In no way, except for people that never leave their home, is Republic Wireless cheaper for the general person that would like to spend more time doing things than worrying about downloading a picture their grandmother sends them in an email.

        Be serious.

  • Joseph

    Like a good poker game going your way,,,,,I’m all in. Can’t wait to get my first phone from you.

  • Joseph

    Is WiFi first a way to set the phone up….in setting’s? Or ?

    • KatelynN

      Hey Joseph! All Republic Wireless phones are optimized for the greatest experience on WiFi already. The videos and tutorials you see above are the setting changes you can make within your phone to take it one step further in the hopes that these tips and tricks will help you save even more in the context of our new Republic Refund (TM) plans.

  • Terry Miles

    I have been seriously considering signing up for Republic Wireless, however, I have a friend who uses your service and he’s had incredible frustration trying to deal with your company. In fact, he just left your service. A company which has absolutely NO direct telephone contact available for questions or support in the event of even emergency problems is absurd. I already know that your response will be to use your FAQ, discussion boards, etc., etc. But, the fact is, there are times when a person MUST be able to reach their service company directly – whether YOU think so or not. After seeing my above mentioned friend (a now former customer of yours) go through all that he did with no way to contact your company directly has led me to the decision to continue using another service/company instead. You do get what you pay for apparently. Sorry….

    • KatelynN

      Hey Terry, sorry to hear about your friend’s experience, but we’re glad to help and talk to folks on the phone all the time. We’d like to think we earned out top-ranking consumer report for something and have support options like live chat and, if you ever need assistance you can just open a ticket and request a call back if you need it. We’d be glad to help you with anything you might need. Thanks for your interest in our company!

      • Terry Miles

        Just post your company’s phone number for Christ’s sake. You obviously don’t want to deal with people over the phone (and you sell phone service!!). “Request a call back”? He did that twice and no one called him from Republic Wireless. Your ‘call back’ system is obviously designed so that you can pick and choose who you MIGHT actually talk to. No thanks….

        • D Squsted

          good point. why is the number not posted, Katelyn? and I must say, I am thrilled with the money I am saving with Republic!

          • Sean Goheen

            Most likely they don’t have phone support staff because it is extremely expensive and inefficient to run, and would drive up service costs significantly. Since their mission is to make phone service affordable, offering phone support doesn’t fit into with their business model.

          • D Squsted

            Thank you, Sean. That is reasonable.

    • Micket Riley

      Hey Terry, let me pile on here.

      My experience: Paid for a new phone. It came. Used it for a month and it started overheating. Ok, no big deal right? They send me a REFURBISHED replacement without telling me, and then denied it was refurbished. This phone had half the battery life of my previous one, even with the overheating.

      When they finally admitted what they did (it isn’t hard to tell when your cord comes with a twist-tie instead of shrinkwrap) they made a policy “exception” and sent me a new phone.

      Mind you this was only after 4 days (not kidding) of exhaustive “troubleshooting”. Impossible to deal with them if something goes wrong.

      We all know how businesses with 0 customer support and a “hope it never breaks” model go,.

      Oh, and don’t dare complain about your actual experience on the forum, or the millenial Republic Wireless elitists will find a way to twist all of your concerns as some sort of character flaw.

      Good price, if it worked. Bad model. Bad customer support.

      • KatelynN

        Hey there, sorry to hear if you’ve had any issues. We are legally not allowed to sell you a refurbished phone without fully disclosing that upfront. We do often have refurbished phones on hand though, that can be offered as a replacement option for those who chose to go that route. Each device is required to pass a meticulous 50-point inspection process before being given to a member as well. Again though – this shouldn’t happen without your full consent. If you’ve experienced anything different, please do post your most recent ticket number on file with our help team and we’ll be glad to escalate your issue with a team lead.

        We rock a solid 90% customer satisfaction rating and will literally loose sleep if it means helping a member out. Let us know if we can help you any further and we’ll be more than glad to do what we can.

        • http://www.stephen.com Stephen Linhart

          But all your warranty replacements are refurbished. So whoever told him they were not is the problem. Also, using aa refurbished phone as a replacement for a phone which arrived as a lemon is legal, but should not be.

          • Micket Riley

            This was my main point. Eventually (after months) they sent me a “new” replacement. But that was months of being told, or trying to skirt around the issue, that replacing my one month old phone that I paid full price for,with a refurbished unit was acceptable.

            Also, this was not told up front. Sure, 8 months later and the phone’s under warranty, OK. Less than a month after purchase and you try to swap for refurb? No thanks.

      • Terry Miles

        Exactly right, Micket. In a perfect world where everything is predictable and reliable, this system and business model would be great. Unfortunately, that is not the world we live in. Things go wrong, and there needs to be the ability for customers to receive direct (and often, immediate) support for so many possible things. I’m very sorry to hear of your experience with your phone. And, like I said, I’m just going to stick with the traditional company I’m using for phone service right now. Take care!

    • Robert Aiken

      I agree with what he said about not being able to reach a human when you have a complicated issue.

    • Ralph Ross

      Terry, I had same concern as you, but you can chat online or write up a problem; and they give great support. I’m willing to do that instead of $70/month to add phone support. I’m saving about $60+ a month after I switched to Republic Wireless – that’s hard to beat. And I get the services and connectivity I need. I like the new idea of the refund for cellular data not used.

      • Terry Miles

        That’s great, Ralph. But, what does one do if their smartphone is the only way they can access those online support systems? This was the case with my friend and his experience with Republic Wireless. He had to come over to use my laptop and net access to send messages requesting that someone call him back on the temporary prepaid cellphone he had to purchase at WalMart to be able to make calls. His phone was stolen for God’s sake. The whole situation was explained via their messaging system. No one ever called him back. Two or three requests and the situation well explained and NO ONE ever called to help him with his problem. So, now he has switched over to Sprint. After seeing his frustration in dealing with Republic Wireless, I won’t even consider this company myself. Glad you’re happy with them….

        • Micket Riley

          That’s really crappy. Sorry to hear that.

          See, I think that there is a big portion of the customer base here that hopped on Republic because the idea was cool, trend and unique. I was one of those, a year ago.

          That said, I’m willing to bet that just as large of a group is on RW because of budgetary concerns. And it is those folks who really get shafted without some sort of direct support.

          (I know I”m inviting the “you knew when you signed up” crowd, but that’s an idealistic way of looking at a customer relationship on something as essential as communication.)

          In the end, for most that really take a critical eye to it, the “cheapest” option is usually not the cheapest in real terms. Your friend’s case just outlines one potential value overlooked.

          Since for my usage I’d be at around $40/mo on the new plan, I’m no longer interested.

          At that price point there are numerous other carriers / MVNOs / options for augmenting my behavior and spend that are more suitable, possibly cheaper, and often supported more effectively.

    • D Squsted

      I too prefer speaking to a service rep any day. Currently, for whatever reason, I cannot receive attachments as before. I want a person to walk me through this; I don’t want to spend hours online trying to solve the problem myself (I even have trouble getting a chat worked up!).

  • Jess Thinkin

    Will the rebate be automatically calculated and billed each month, or will I be required to take additional steps to take advantage of the refund program?

    • KatelynN

      No additional steps necessary! We’ll let you know what your Republic Refund(TM) is on your new monthly invoice and it will automatically be deducted from your next month’s bill.

      • Jess Thinkin

        Thanks for your quick response! Since I use no data, I’m looking forward to the results of ‘our’ new program.

  • ΔИθᴎЎϻɸᵿƧ

    I’ve always been a bachelor, and had Sprint for 8 years at $30 a month for 200 minutes, with the Fair & Flexible plan. I figured that was as low as I was going to get.

    Then came time to get a smartphone, and Sprint demanded that I have a data plan as well, which would have doubled my bill. I told them I had wi-fi, and wanted to use that for data. They said nuh-uh.

    So it was bye bye Sprint, hello Republic. Now my bill is $12 with taxes. Most everything goes thru my wi-fi here at home, or at work, but cell service is still available when I need it, away from the DSL connect.

    Between unlimited DSL internet for wi-fi (10 Mbps), and Republic, I’m spending just $52 per month. Sprint was eliminated altogether, and I couldn’t be happier.

    • KatelynN

      So happy to hear this- thanks so much for sharing! We hope others can benefit the same way you have!

  • Anthony Abel

    Help me out because i really want this to work but it seems $15 per GB is the problem here…. I currenly am on WiFi 90% of the time between being at work and at home. Although i still use about 2GB (in the car or because wifi is being to slow) How is this plan better if its going to cost $40 total instead of the $25 i pay now?

    • Micket Riley

      It isn’t. At all.

      They realized their model doesn’t work and are dressing up becoming a traditional prepaid carrier.

    • KatelynN

      Hey Anthony! I totally understand the confusion here. The difference is that it comes down to your usage from day to day and month to month. Sometimes you use more data on WiFi. Sometimes you use more data on cell. The other guys want you to buy in way way up high – convincing you it’s “safe.” But that’s how they cut a HUGE profit margin – there are plenty of times when you might use way WAY less – making your avg. lower. We think if your avg. is lower, then your bill should be too. If you’d like to talk to someone that can walk you through how much this could save you based on your previous usage with us, you can check out this page here: https://community.republicwireless.com/community/knowledgecenter/concierge

      In the end, it all comes down to effective cost, or however much you pay divided by however much you use. We see an opportunity to help the VAST majority of our members avoid paying an inflated price. We can statistically PROVE that the majority of our members will pay a lower average bill.

      Our hope with this page in particular is that you can make small setting changes within the apps you use on a daily basis to save even more!

      As a current member, you can always try it out, and switch back to stay on current plans through July 31st, 2016.

      • http://www.stephen.com Stephen Linhart

        If we try it, how do we switch back?

        • KatelynN

          If you decide the Refund plans aren’t for you, all you have to do is submit a ticket to help@republicwireless.com and they’ll change you back over.

    • Anthony Abel

      because lets face it riding in the car or on slow wifi i just use cell data…. For pandora,facebook,snapchat,and yotube

      • KatelynN

        Have you gone through the videos above to see what small setting changes you can make on each of those apps you mentioned? Things like Facebook autoplay eat up tons of data and by setting them to WiFi only, it can make a huge difference!

  • Valerie

    I wish I could afford a new phone or that you had service for BYOW. I already have a Moto G (2013), which I love. Strictly Wi-Fi and can only make Emergency calls as I don’t have a sim in it. It would be awesome to try out your service for a month, but can’t afford to buy another phone at the moment, which I would need to do to use your service. If it wasn’t a phone that Republic offered, I would probably try to save the money, but as I have a phone that you sell (or sold), I’d be paying more for your version than I did the version I have plus have 2 of the same exact phones. 🙁

    • Noelle C

      There are used RW phones on Ebay. That’s what my friend did and got $50 off of retail for a Moto G (gen 1).

    • Sean Goheen

      It does suck that you can’t use your own phone, but the issue is that to do wifi calling and texting properly, it requires support from the OS installed on the phone. While they could technically release a version of Android that could be user installed, they would have to release a seperate version for each model. Also, far too many things can go wrong with a customer installing something like that, and it may not even be legal for some customers. At the end of the day, it’s not reasonable for a company to offer that.

  • Micket Riley

    Is this mandatory? Basically you’ve ditched your business model and are just like any other prepaid now, charging by the MB

    • Anthony Abel

      Its not manditory until July 31st 2016. I think the model should have been if they wanted it to work 25$ for 5 GB and then you get back what you don’t use… NOT $15 a GB and your at $40 if you use 2GB

    • Sean Goheen

      I wouldn’t really say that. Very few of them support Wifi calling and texting, they are often more expensive per Gb, and with almost all of them either you have to buy data that will expire, or they give you a set allotment each month, and you pay more to offset the few people who use most of their data…

      • Micket Riley

        Well, actually that was the initial attraction for me as I don’t get but one bar in my home, so I wanted the wifi calling to stop missing calls.

        That said, Sprint, Tmo (and related prepaids) have wifi calling, as do the million and one apps now that support IP calling. So, that positive is matched by many other means on the market these days.

        Thus, what was keeping me tolerant of the limited phone selection was the cost. Mind you, I don’t use more than 1 GB usually, but there have been 2 months of the 14 where I used 2-3GB. Sometimes you need to get stuff done in the car on a long trip, period. Being observant of, but not afraid of, the GB usage was the last main attractive feature of Republic Wireless.

        Once it’s mandatory, I’ll be gone.

    • Winners Anonymous

      What do you expect? These are the republic wireless CON ARTISTS! I don’t recommend this service to anyone! Ever try getting a faulty phone replaced with Republic Wireless? HA GOOD LUCK! Been trying for a good 4 months and it’s nothing but excuses. Phone crashes all the time, phone constantly connects to WIFI, even when restarting, and now they’ve made it so you can’t disable it. The list goes on an on. WORST CELL COMPANY IN EXISTENCE. Oh, and don’t try looking up their phone number to contact the company because it will take you straight to a shady VOICEMAIL box. REPUBLIC WIRELESS IS A JOKE!

  • Morgan McRory

    Some of the comments here are making me a little scared. Because I have the $10 plan this shouldn’t affect me, right? Seeing as I don’t use cell data at all. Or now that the old plans have been ‘tossed to the wind’ do I need to worry??

    But since my mom has the $25 plan what would she get paid back for? When it’s “unlimited” data when you sign up doesn’t that mean UNLIMITED? How do refund back $$ for something that has no limit? The plans site wouldn’t show me how much it would cost past 2.9 GB, but from what it appears what my mom would have paid $25 for last month (if she went up to 2.9 GB) is more than DOUBLE what her bill used to be ($53.50) going forward.

    Am I missing something?

    • TheMagicPumpkin

      The $10 unlimited talk and text plan isn’t going anywhere. You’re fine.

    • KatelynN

      Ditto to the Magic Pumpkin’s comment below- $10 plan isn’t going anywhere, so you have nothing to worry about!

      As far as your mom’s plan goes, she can always try it out, and switch back to stay on current plans through July 31st, 2016. The main thing to note here is that what you pay is based on your actual usage. I would suggest taking a look at her last usage email from us and seeing what the number is. Take that to the calculator you were using here: https://republicwireless.com/plans/ and see how much she can save each month.

      If it’s more than you think she should be paying, that’s what this page is for. We want to help you make those small setting changes to help you save as much as possible and we can statistically PROVE that the majority of our members will pay a lower average bill.

  • Thi Bui

    I currently have the $25/month 3G plan. Do I have to choose the new plan or can I stick with my old plan?

    • KatelynN

      Hey Thi! As a current member you can stay on current plans through July 31st, 2016! You can always try it out to see how it works for you and switch back at any point during that time.

  • Kyle

    If I get the 1GB plan and go over 1GB, would I pay any extra?

    • KatelynN

      Hey Kyle! The Republic app on your phone will help notify you when you’re getting close to hitting that 1GB mark. From there, you can either choose to add one-time data if it’s a unique situation, or bump up your plan if you think you’ll need more from month to month, but no crazy overages or hidden fees. We realize your usage fluctuates from day to day, and that’s why we created these new plans. Maybe there are months where you use a little more than 1GB, but there may be months where you use significantly less and that’s what these plans are for. Only pay for what you use.

      Our Republic app has been built up to support this and help you with managing your usage and help guide you along the way, to make saving on your monthly bill as easy as possible.

      • Kyle

        If I get the 1GB and don’t use any of it, would I get the full amount reimbursed?

        • KatelynN

          Yup! We pay you back for whatever cell data you don’t use!

        • Sean Goheen

          To be clear, you would stop using data until/unless you decide to pay for another block of data and be refunded what you don’t use at the end of the month as usual. You WILL NOT pay a different rate for data after using your initial block. The data blocks are just there to help you control your spending, and you get notifications and/or emails about your usage.

  • Thi Bui

    Can someone explain to me the 47 million WiFi hotspots number? Are these hotspots free to the public or do you have to be a subscriber to some ISP to gain access? I do see many WiFi hotspots but most of them require a login.

    • KatelynN

      Glad you asked- 47 million OPEN WiFi hotspots around the world, about 4 million of them being in the US!

      • Thi Bui

        How many of them are open to the public?

      • Micket Riley

        So, 4 million. Not 47 million.

        Who is going to carry around this phone overseas when it won’t work for a regular cell call?

  • Libon Kawamura

    when is this applicable to everyone? I’m currently on $25/month (3GB) plan but only use about 500MB/month. so I’d love to spend less if possible!

  • Rakan

    is this 0.5GB data 3g/4g?

    • Rakan

      i ask this because studies show the rate of consumption changes disproportionately with increasing speeds. It would be helpful if your marketing is clear on the data speeds.

      • KatelynN

        Hey Rakan, If you have a 4G LTE capable device, then you’d have access to 4G LTE speeds when available in your area. In the context of data speeds – data is just data. Neither 3G nor 4G burn data faster. It’s all on-network data, which we purchase at a certain price and then provide to our members for about as close to wholesale as we can. Off-network roaming data is a different story – because that is essentially leased out to us at a premium at about 18 times the cost of on-network data, that very much does burn faster and more expensive than on-network data. That said, there are no plans to change our off-network roaming data policy. Net – everyone with a 4G LTE capable device would get 4G LTE speeds at no extra cost or rate of use.

        • Rakan

          Thank you. This would actually be a major sales point for all of us on $25 3g plans with motoXs.

  • Vickie Harmon

    How will this affect my plan? I have the beta Defy phone. Will I have to buy a new phone and change to this new plan?

    • KatelynN

      Good question Vickie. While the DEFY XT is still a popular option among a lot of our members, it unfortunately does not have the device specifications needed to transition to the Republic 2.0 Plans or the Republic 1.0 Plans so you will stay on your Beta plan during these changes. For more information, you can check out the Motorola DEFY XT Overview here: https://community.republicwireless.com/docs/DOC-1252

      • Vickie Harmon

        Thanks for such a quick reply. I am quite happy with my beta phone (aside from it constantly telling me I’m low on space and having to clear updates on apps I never use but can’t delete).

  • TWBrien

    Well this option just went out the window. Guess I’ll stick with my T-Mobile 5gigs of 4g for $30 prepaid plan. Shame. You guys were going to be my next upgrade.

    • KatelynN

      Sorry to have lost you TWBrien :/ If you see that you’re using way less than 5GB of data on your new plan, we’ll be here with open arms! Hint: try out some of the tips and tricks above to see if it helps reduce your usage on cell.

      • JoshGroff

        The new plan pricing is interesting, and certainly benefits the lower data users more, but some people like having that extra data cushion, which due to the new pricing is substantially more. Since my average cell data is less than 1GB per month, this plan definitely benefits me, but I think leaving the old plans as an option would have fit everyone’s needs.

  • Wendy

    I signed up to get my middle schooler a smart phone without the cost of the data plans. $10 a month was perfect. Why arem’t you at least grandfathering all of your current customers and letting us keep our current plans? T-Mobile did that with me for years, and now I’m on a grandfathered plan at Virgin Mobile. I can’t believe you are actually making your customers change, even if it’s not until July 2016. That’s terrible. I also have 2 friends who bought your phones and signed up because of your $10 a month plan. We are all upset.

    • KatelynN

      Hi Wendy, the $10 plan isn’t going anywhere, so you and your friends don’t have anything to worry about! Our new plans start at $10 (same as it always is) and pay you back for any unused data that you may or may not decide to purchase on top of that. Hope this clears things up for you.

  • http://brianetics.com/ Brian M. Parks

    I’m on the original plan $21.07 a month. Defy phone. It’s just for making a couple of calls a week, traveling and playing angry birds in waiting rooms. I wanted the E Moto. After I ordered it they said they had run out. With the cost of a G Moto this new plan might make the upgraded phone cost effective. The OS in the old phone get less useful with every app upgrade.
    What would really make this new plan useful, since mass users will have to pay more anyway, is the ability to make my phone a hotspot so I can use my iPad the few places I take it where there is no wifi.

    • KatelynN

      That might be something we’re working on testing 😉

      http://pwk.republicwireless.com/republic-labs-maestro-check-in-release-notes/

      • http://brianetics.com/ Brian M. Parks

        That would be a nice option. As it is I pay FreedomPop $4 a month for .5 gigs but they are impossibly hard to work with. Maybe by the time it rolls out I’ll have enough pennies saved up for the G phone or you guys will offer the new version of the Moto e.

  • JB

    So I used 3.3 GB last month, well within my limit. My bill would go up by almost $30. How is this good again?

    • Sean Goheen

      Republic users average far less then a Gb per month, so it’s better for the vast majority of their customers.

      Sorry if you got caught in the crossfire, but the idea of these plans is to stop the less data heavy users from having to pay for the heavier data users.

      Unfortunately cellular data is is extremely expensive to buy wholesale, so it’s very unlikely that your bill was actually covering all of Republic’s expense for that 3.3Gb of data that they had to buy from Sprint…

      • Micket Riley

        First of all, you’re overestimating how much bulk wholesale data costs, especially 3G data.

        3.3GB of data usage is not a lot, at all and JB is representative of a good portion of the current customer base.

        That’s fine. In the end RW will simply have a limited customer base that doesn’t push back against any changes, while keeping their profit margin intact.

        The move is decidedly anti-consumer. It’s also less competitive than other prepaid and the new Google service.

  • Brian Delarmente

    If your like me need data but use very little it is much cheaper. I work with computers and security cameras and usually around wifi but there are times were i need the data when i am in non wifi locations but it is a rare event. For people who use a lot of data it will be more expensive.

  • Travis Washburn

    I like that you’re incentivizing us to use more WiFi. (Before, I’d purposely leave my WiFi off, so I could get my money’s worth of data.) Now a couple questions:

    – Google Fi charges $10 per GB of data. Could you match that? $15 seems a little high… (And, yes, I know Google Fi’s base rate is $20 instead of $10. That brings me to my next point…)

    – Can you reward us for low calling minutes too? I hardly ever make phone calls, and when I do, they’re calls at home on WiFi. So I’m paying $10/month and basically getting nothing out of it. Can I get a refund for low calling minutes too?

    • Micket Riley

      They’re strictly IP most likely. What this means is your calling minutes are essentially irrelevant bandwidth.

      Maybe 5-10 years ago that is something you could get refunded for, now it just doesn’t matter.Texts and calling are insignificant compared to mobile data for other uses.

      If you’re using over 1GB, Google Fi is the better deal.

  • profmoriarty

    Could you give an example of what the savings would be if you have the $25 a month plan, but only use 1 gig a month?

    • KatelynN

      Absolutely! The simple answer is, since your data usage fluctuates from month to month, you truly only pay for what you use. Let’s say you decide to purchase 1GB of data on our plans. That’s $10 (base) + $15 (1GB cell data). Now, let’s say the month goes by but you only actually use 0.8GB out of the 1GB you purchased. That means your next month’s bill will would actually only be $22 as opposed to the $25 with the refund from the 0.2GB you didn’t use (about $3 worth).

      Hope this helps! We’ve built a whole page for questions like this, so if you have any others, you can check this page out here: https://community.republicwireless.com/community/knowledgecenter/concierge#

  • Johnny

    So for those that don’t use any mobile data, the current $10 plan is not being changed down the road in 2016? Still unlimited minutes and texting?

    • KatelynN

      That’s correct!

  • just sayin

    so with the new plans the changing your plan during the month thing is out?

  • Albert Patapack

    I have been considering Republic Wireless for a long time but I do have some questions. Does data usage stop or slow down, at the limit, If I don’t want to pay more or, if I go over the limit, will I be automatically charged? Also, at my work, there are wi-fi networks that I can’t log into that the phone would pick up. Would I still be able to us the cell network?

  • http://info-tran.com/ Info Dave

    So, I changed my plan yesterday. Today is my billing date, so I wanted to get it done so I didn’t have to wait another month for the plan to go into effect.

    To my surprise, my bill today, for last month, is using my new plan. All that I read said the new plan wouldn’t go into effect until the next billing cycle. Also, I did not receive credit for unused cell data.

    I guess I shouldn’t complain. My bill is less than I was paying, but this is not working as advertised.

    • KatelynN

      Hey there! Our plans are prepaid, so you’re paying for this upcoming month. Since the plans take effect on your next billing cycle, you won’t see a refund for unused data from last month, however, your NEXT month’s bill will reflect the refund for the unused data from this upcoming month. Hope this helps, but if you have any other questions, that’s what we built our plans concierge page for here: https://community.republicwireless.com/community/knowledgecenter/concierge#

      • http://info-tran.com/ Info Dave

        Explained perfectly! Thank you so much. I was confused, my bad.

        • KatelynN

          No problem- happy to help!

  • BRTPTPK

    I have a couple of questions. If I reach the data limit, and I don’t want to pay more, will the data be stopped or will the data rate slow down? Will I be automatically charged for the extra data? Also, at work there are several wi-fi networks that I can’t log in to that the phone will see. Will I be able to use the cell network even though the phone sees the wi-fi networks?

    • KatelynN

      Hey there! Basically, the way it works is you purchase a plan for however much cell data you think you’ll need for the month. Let’s say one month, you go out of town and don’t have a whole lot of WiFi around you. We’ll notify you as you’re getting closer to running out of the data you purchased for the month and ask if you’d like to add one-time data. No crazy overages or hidden fees, because we only charge you for what you ask us to charge you for (which means yes, your data will be stopped if you run out of the amount you purchased). If you notice you’re needing to purchase one-time data on a more regular basis, you can also change your monthly plan to include more cell data so you have the freedom to set it and forget it. You still get money back for any cellular data that goes unused, and we place that refund towards your next month’s bill. On top of that, our Republic app is super easy to use and self-explanatory, so if you have any questions about your daily usage, you can most likely see what’s going on there.

      As long as you’re at least on the $10 plan, cell is always accessible for talk and text, so no worries. Your phone will only connect to WiFi networks that you tell it to connect to.

      Hope this help! For any other questions, check out our plans page here: https://community.republicwireless.com/community/knowledgecenter/concierge#

      • BRTPTPK

        Thanks for your reply. I appreciate the info.

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