Cheap cell phone options for families? Republic Wireless?

[kellybrian]

We are looking to reduce our cellular bills and trying to find the best option(s). There are 6 of us in the family. Currently, I have Virgin Mobile at $35/month for 300 minutes and unlimited text/data (had to buy the phone out right). The wife and 4 teenage kids are on Sprint with 1000 shared minutes and unlimited text/data with a total cost of about $258/month. We all have smart phones.

To be honest, we mostly use the smart phones when connected to wifi at home/school/work. I am curious if anyone has tried Republic Wireless? It appears you buy the phone for $299 each and then can pay $10/month for unlimited talk/text and just use wifi for data. They have other options, but that seems the best for our situation.

Trying to cut down on bills and seriously can't believe we pay about $300/month for all of our cell phones! Please share your thoughts and options.

 

[RitaE]

We are looking to reduce our cellular bills and trying to find the best option(s). There are 6 of us in the family. Currently, I have Virgin Mobile at $35/month for 300 minutes and unlimited text/data (had to buy the phone out right). The wife and 4 teenage kids are on Sprint with 1000 shared minutes and unlimited text/data with a total cost of about $258/month. We all have smart phones.

To be honest, we mostly use the smart phones when connected to wifi at home/school/work. I am curious if anyone has tried Republic Wireless? It appears you buy the phone for $299 each and then can pay $10/month for unlimited talk/text and just use wifi for data. They have other options, but that seems the best for our situation.

Trying to cut down on bills and seriously can't believe we pay about $300/month for all of our cell phones! Please share your thoughts and options.

That's the plan I've been using since early December. I ended up having to upgrade our router in the house to get good WiFi calling here but our old Router was about ready to crap out anyway and needed replaced regardless. My bill ends up being about $13 with taxes. I carry a Freedom Pop hotspot in my purse that lets me check emails or whatever when I'm out running around. My kids both have the Unlimited 3G plans with unlimited Data. Their bills run around $30 each. As far as cell tower reception, I've had no problems where I live. I think that I've roamed off the Sprint network and over to the Verizon towers once or twice but it has been a seamless transfer.

The phone is really nice. I actually like it better than my old iPhone. From what I read on the Republic Wireless message boards, people either love the Republic Wireless service or they hate it like crazy.

The only real problem I've encountered is no short codes on Text Messaging which is what banks and a few other places use to verify. If you don't understand what those are, there are some discussions on the Republic Wireless message boards and how to use Google Voice to work around the problem.

It's really risk free to try it out as long as you don't break the phone. Just keep all the boxes and packaging and then let your return it in 30 days.

 

[kiki02]

That's the plan I've been using since early December. I ended up having to upgrade our router in the house to get good WiFi calling here but our old Router was about ready to crap out anyway and needed replaced regardless. My bill ends up being about $13 with taxes. I carry a Freedom Pop hotspot in my purse that lets me check emails or whatever when I'm out running around. My kids both have the Unlimited 3G plans with unlimited Data. Their bills run around $30 each. As far as cell tower reception, I've had no problems where I live. I think that I've roamed off the Sprint network and over to the Verizon towers once or twice but it has been a seamless transfer.

The phone is really nice. I actually like it better than my old iPhone. From what I read on the Republic Wireless message boards, people either love the Republic Wireless service or they hate it like crazy.

The only real problem I've encountered is no short codes on Text Messaging which is what banks and a few other places use to verify. If you don't understand what those are, there are some discussions on the Republic Wireless message boards and how to use Google Voice to work around the problem.

It's really risk free to try it out as long as you don't break the phone. Just keep all the boxes and packaging and then let your return it in 30 days.

their phones are too expensive.

 

[DawnM]

How much is the phone you have and what is the monthly cost?

Do the math, you will most likely find that you "break even" within the first few months.

OP, I have had RW for 3 months. I am leaving it when my month is up. With Dh's work discount, Dh's work paying a portion, and ATT coming up with their new plan, it is cheaper for us to have a family plan on ATT than to go with all RW. Plus, I must admit, I missed my iphone!

However, the plan was fine. I did have more dropped calls them with any other plan, and there were some quirks that RW had that I didn't like (like you can't send more than a certain number of characters in a text message or receive more than a certain amount.....may have been 200, can't remember.) So, if people sent me long messages I would either not get it all or it would come in chunks that didn't quite make sense.

Dawn

their phones are too expensive.

 

[mickeyplanner08]

If you already have Sprint phones and you are happy with the service, you should look into Ting! We've had 2 smartphones with Ting for the past 5 months, and our bill is averaging $35/month-total. We have been very happy with it. I did port my number to Google Voice, but if I had to do it again, I'm not sure I would do it that way. Anyway, check out the calculators and plug in your usage-you may save a bundle!

 

[hsmamato2]

I'd look into whatever prepaid plan rates well,that you can use your sprint phones with..... various carriers work with providers of branded phones.... (example, I have an older Verizon phone, and use it on Pagepluscellular service)
This will save you a bundle,since you already have phones, but I'm not sure which carrier works with Sprint phones- I see a 'framily' plan advertised,for 7 people, that might work for you...just be aware of what service works best in your local area....I won't use certain services,b/c of dropped calls,dead zones, etc. In my area, Pageplus/Verizon is the only service I want to use.... but it varies by region-

 

[DawnM]

I plugged in my numbers and it says I am in the 2% who will not save with Ting.

I think it is a great option though, particularly if you are not a heavy user and only have a line or two.

I talk about 3,000 min., send about 1200 texts and use at least 2gb of data per month, so Ting says my bill would be around $70 just for my phone. That is about what we are paying for 3 phones.

There are SO MANY prepaid plans now though, that it really does make sense to shop around.

Dawn

If you already have Sprint phones and you are happy with the service, you should look into Ting! We've had 2 smartphones with Ting for the past 5 months, and our bill is averaging $35/month-total. We have been very happy with it. I did port my number to Google Voice, but if I had to do it again, I'm not sure I would do it that way. Anyway, check out the calculators and plug in your usage-you may save a bundle!

 

[Soben]

Some thoughts:
Republic - I switched to that and had the savings all added up in my head. Ended up losing money on the deal, because we had to buy the phone and the service was so horrible that I could not take it any more. If you never use it for talking, you may be ok. But they do exclude certain types of texts, like pictures, so who knows.

Ting - I haven't used, but I've heard lots of good things. Try that first for the Sprint phones, because you wouldn't have to buy any hardware, what have you got to lose? You could try one line and see how it goes.

Kroger - I don't know where you are or if you shop @ Kroger, but they allow you to bring in a Sprint phone. (I bought an android from them for $30, so not too much of an investment) We buy the $10/month, you only get 100 minutes or texts, but that's enough for us. You can connect to wifi for free. For $25/month you get 200 talk, unlimited text, and 200MB of data. It sounds like then the 5 sprint phone would have the same amt of talk/text and some data for $125/month total. The other nice thing is that you get $$ off when you buy groceries. We've been very happy w/them.

Basically, you need to know how much of what you have been buying you're actually using and what's the easiest way to make a change.

 

[DawnM]

When did you have RW?

I get MMS (picture messages) just fine.

Now, in the past, from what I have read, this was an issue.

It isn't anymore.

Dawn

Some thoughts:
Republic - I switched to that and had the savings all added up in my head. Ended up losing money on the deal, because we had to buy the phone and the service was so horrible that I could not take it any more. If you never use it for talking, you may be ok. But they do exclude certain types of texts, like pictures, so who knows.

Ting - I haven't used, but I've heard lots of good things. Try that first for the Sprint phones, because you wouldn't have to buy any hardware, what have you got to lose? You could try one line and see how it goes.

Kroger - I don't know where you are or if you shop @ Kroger, but they allow you to bring in a Sprint phone. (I bought an android from them for $30, so not too much of an investment) We buy the $10/month, you only get 100 minutes or texts, but that's enough for us. You can connect to wifi for free. For $25/month you get 200 talk, unlimited text, and 200MB of data. It sounds like then the 5 sprint phone would have the same amt of talk/text and some data for $125/month total. The other nice thing is that you get $$ off when you buy groceries. We've been very happy w/them.

Basically, you need to know how much of what you have been buying you're actually using and what's the easiest way to make a change.

 

[zoemariesmamma]

We bought the Republic Wireless phone for my little girl for Christmas. We do the $10/month plan. She really only needs it to get a hold of us if something changes with after school activities. We have been very pleased with it so far.My hubby works in the middle of no where so we are going to have him bring it to work sometime to check the service out there. The plan was to test it with her and then we will all change over. I have heard that there will be a couple more phone options in the coming months. We are happy with it. (just a little add on- we did put her phone in a heavy duty otterbox before she even opened it, does not seem like a tough phone)

 

[RitaE]

Yes, I think Republic added MMS texting (pictures) about 5 or 6 months ago so that complaint is out of date?

The main problem I had with texting is to get everybody else's phone to stop trying to text me using the iPhone iMessage system. It had more to do with the iOS quirks that I was leaving behind than a fault on Republic Wireless.

I'm not sure what KiKi means by their phones are too expensive. $299 for a full featured brand new Smartphone with no contract is quite reasonable. If you want the lower end model I believe they are still selling the $99 Defy. They are also due to come out with a phone that is in between the $99 and $299 prices too.

Also, they are eventually supposed to add being able to reactivate an old Republic Wireless phone back onto the system in the future. Once that is going you will be able to sell your old phones, which will nice for those who decide they no longer want the service, or those who prefer to save money by buying old phones.

 

[crazelion]

I am surprise no one has mention Tracfone with there smartphones. Tracfone smartphones use Verzion towers. My kids have good service. I have triple minutes for life for there phones EX. 120 minutes card gets 360 minutes 360 texts 360mb data for 29.99 for 3 months.

 

[BubMunkeyBles]

Have you checked AT&T with their new family plans?

 

[wiigirl]

We bought the Republic Wireless phone for my little girl for Christmas. We do the $10/month plan. She really only needs it to get a hold of us if something changes with after school activities. We have been very pleased with it so far.My hubby works in the middle of no where so we are going to have him bring it to work sometime to check the service out there. The plan was to test it with her and then we will all change over. I have heard that there will be a couple more phone options in the coming months. We are happy with it. (just a little add on- we did put her phone in a heavy duty otterbox before she even opened it, does not seem like a tough phone)

 

[kellybrian]

Thanks for all the feedback. I will have to research these options some more. I was able to switch our plan with Sprint to their new Framily plan. Should save us about $42/month for now (we are under contract until the end of July).

 

[melifeld]

Looks like I may be too late, but here is another vote for Ting. We used to have Verizon and paid about $165/month for 2 smartphones. Now we have Ting (have had for over a year) and we pay no more than $50/month for 2 smartphones. And they have amazing customer service. We have never had a problem in over a year.

 

[mom2my3kids]

We are also looking into switching, we have verizon wireless..We have four smart phones and have unlimited messaging and talk with 10 shared gigs between all four phones..I pay 290.00 a month..my friend has At&t and they just lowered her bill she also has four smart phones to like 180 a month..

 

[JoiseyMom]

We switched to RW (well two of us). My daughter has had it the longest and she loves it. She switched over a year ago and I switched over the summer when my contract was up. I really hated the older phone, the Motorola Defy, ugh. I was ready to go back to Verizon. But I love love the Moto X. We can send pics and the phone is great. I am very happy now, and spending much less then I would have with Verizon.

 

[aprilgail2]

Have you checked AT&T with their new family plans?

We are also looking into switching, we have verizon wireless..We have four smart phones and have unlimited messaging and talk with 10 shared gigs between all four phones..I pay 290.00 a month..my friend has At&t and they just lowered her bill she also has four smart phones to like 180 a month..

Its 160.00 for 4 smart phones on ATT plan I have with 10G of shared data.

 

[mom2my3kids]

Its 160.00 for 4 smart phones on ATT plan I have with 10G of shared data.

Gonna look into this when my contract is up this summer..verizon is crazy expensive..