New Republic Wireless - Hybrid VOIP/Cellular

**silentjudge** · 10-31-2011, 07:35 PM

http://techcrunch.com/2011/10/31/rep...-bill-in-half/

Its owned and operated by Bandwidth.com, which is use by GV, Skype, and many many more. Suffice it to say they are a huge VOIP provider with extensive infrastructure.

I think this is going to be interesting, it is the future...
Its sort of taking T-Mobile Wifi calling to the next level.

**Dustin Roe** · 10-31-2011, 09:40 PM

Interesting... I am hoping to see more than a Sprint Backbone tho. AT&T GSM Android and I would be sold.

**ndtv88** · 10-31-2011, 10:44 PM

Originally Posted by Dustin Roe

Interesting... I am hoping to see more than a Sprint Backbone tho. AT&T GSM Android and I would be sold.

but then that would mean ATT will be shooting itself in its head. Agreed that ATT may not have the smartest management, but they have never been known to be stupid either; greedy yes, but stupid no. Imagine the disruption, that this would cause, all those tiers of minutes will be useless now.

**Volaris** · 11-01-2011, 11:03 AM

Sites are now mentioning $19 a month for unlimited talk/data/text. I wonder if that's even sustainable for the company. I suppose they might have to end up placing limits while using Sprint.

**ndtv88** · 11-01-2011, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by Volaris

Sites are now mentioning $19 a month for unlimited talk/data/text. I wonder if that's even sustainable for the company. I suppose they might have to end up placing limits while using Sprint.

What unlimited data?, if you are using your own wifi, at work and home, then you would likely use very little of it while commuting.
19$ wow.... will wait and see how this works out.

**slohasley** · 11-02-2011, 01:45 PM

$19 for unlimited talk, text and data would be awesome, but I would expect some sort of growing pains like Virgin Mobile experienced when they launched the $25 plan.

Don't know about their claims that most people are within wifi coverage 60% of the time. I'm fine when I'm on my home network, but all the wifi networks around me are secure so I can't hop on them without a key or password. Even Starbucks requires that you accept their T&C's on a web page before you get wifi access. How's the phone going to handle that?

**fonezfonz** · 11-02-2011, 02:33 PM

I remember a little similar plan called Zero1 about two yeas ago. Great ideas, revolutionary price (for the time) and the ability to even byod . Vaporware. Not saying it will or won't happen but till it does, we'll have to wait and see if it's a true disruptor, just a wannabe or not even that.

Could be the next Magic Jack, could be vapor. Who knows till it is what it is.

Lack of byod doesn't work in my book but then again, Virgin mobile sold TONS of Androids to go with their cheap BT plans. Not to mention Straight Talk (aside from the Nokia loophole). Byod is important for some of us but isn't a deal break for everyone.

**billm261** · 11-02-2011, 03:06 PM

BYOD is not going to happen, it requires hardware (as well as software) modifications to the phone.

Still, to have unlimited minutes only for 19.99 a month could convince some holdouts to cut the cord.

**fonezfonz** · 11-02-2011, 04:43 PM

$20 a month for unlimited everything would be a disruptor for sure. The only issue would be coverage and phone prices/availability and service/quality reliability.

**Notsonu** · 11-02-2011, 05:30 PM

here is a link to an article I just received in an email.

http://dottech.org/tipsntricks/24211...text-and-data/

**Endeavor** · 11-02-2011, 06:24 PM

My AT&T Android GoPhone automatically bypasses the T&Cs for all AT&T hotspots. Its got an appl that handles it. Since they're launching on an android platform, I see no reason why they can't do the same. They probably already have a deal in place allowing their handsets to use a variety of paid Wifi networks, just as AT&T does with AT&T's own Wifi hotspots...

Originally Posted by slohasley

$19 for unlimited talk, text and data would be awesome, but I would expect some sort of growing pains like Virgin Mobile experienced when they launched the $25 plan.

Don't know about their claims that most people are within wifi coverage 60% of the time. I'm fine when I'm on my home network, but all the wifi networks around me are secure so I can't hop on them without a key or password. Even Starbucks requires that you accept their T&C's on a web page before you get wifi access. How's the phone going to handle that?

**Endeavor** · 11-02-2011, 06:25 PM

Duplicate post deleted.

This is happening a lot with Hofo recently!

**kecel** · 11-02-2011, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by billm261

BYOD is not going to happen, it requires hardware (as well as software) modifications to the phone.

WiFi Calling has already been patched to several Android phones, including the unbranded HTC Nexus One, unbranded HTC Sensation, unbranded LG Optimus One, and even your Sprint HTC EVO 3D, but until now only T-Mobile, Cincinnati Bell, Rogers, Fido, and Orange supported both byod and WiFi Calling. http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/article.php?a=9020

**silentjudge** · 11-02-2011, 10:29 PM

Ken, there are certain aspects of our architecture that I can’t make public, but that if I did, would clarify why special hardware is required. There are good reasons having nothing to do with a desire on our part, or Sprint’s, to enforce control over people and what they can or can’t do with their smartphones. Sprint’s wholesale division is actually an uncommonly good partner. And republic? Hey, we’re on your side in this… stay tuned!

from Brian Dally at Bandwidth.com, Senior Vice President and Manager
http://gigaom.com/2011/10/31/republi...e-sms-service/ (in the comments)

T-Mobile's software wifi calling app doesn't do handoffs to Cellular network if I'm not mistaken. On the other hand, T-Mobile's Blackberries with UMA have some hardware capability that allows them to do handoffs between Wifi calling and Cellular voice. Thats one possible reason I can think of.