Independent Reviews of Republic Wireless

[bizeemere]

With the level of censorship that is happening at Republic Wireless' forums, I thought I'd post some reviews I've found for people to read before they consider signing with this company. Read the "Comments" sections of these reviews. I find those are the sections where the real reviews by real people are given.


http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/15/...ll-phone-plan/

[bizeemere]

http://www.yelp.com/biz/republic-wireless-cary-2

[bizeemere]

http://www.laptopmag.com/review/cell...-wireless.aspx

(Interesting customer comments after the article)

[bizeemere]

(Also read the customer comments at the end of the review)


http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/10/25/...g-beta-review/

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7...orola-defy-xt/

[bizeemere]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIhR1NTjHN4

This video is a good example of how RW gives ordinary customers the runaround. Apparently, someone at RW gave this customer this number when they knew he wouldn't be able to reach anyone by calling it. That is just WRONG - to misdirect people like that! Stunts like this prove that RW is not a customer-oriented company and that providing excellent customer service consistently to all is NOT one of their corporate missions.

[thauncle]

i think the problem honestly is uneducated users.they get these phones and expect Verizon network signal and t mobile customer service whom a start up company who is in beta.ive had service with rw about 2months and am enjoying it.of course i did my research first and figured out im in a good area that works great for wifi

[sjv]

i think the problem honestly is uneducated users.they get these phones and expect Verizon network signal and t mobile customer service whom a start up company who is in beta.ive had service with rw about 2months and am enjoying it.of course i did my research first and figured out im in a good area that works great for wifi

My thoughts exactly. I'd still like to see this company succeed but from postings in this forum it seems unlikely. Perhaps its a case of angry customer(s) making all the noise while a silent majority are actually happy with the service. Have there been improvements since the initial beta launched? They have had enough time by now that they should have a viable product and should move beyond beta status IMO.

[bizeemere]

Ouch...looks like PCMag and Laptop gave RW a pretty bad 'bop' on the head. Both gave them an 'F' rating of 50% - definitely a failing grade.



http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2413367,00.asp

http://www.laptopmag.com/review/smar...a-defy-xt.aspx

[jwrunyon41722]

laptopmag is comparing the Defy XT, a Gingerbread capable phone, with phones that are running ICS....of course newer, higher end phones are going to out perform it. Why don't they level the plating field and used devices like the Optimus Elite and other Gingerbread devices thar are of similar specifications. Oh well, I have RW and I really like it, it is way better than any other Sprint Prepaid service that I have dealt with.

[bizeemere]

"...until [RW] fixes some of the current drawbacks, I would wait before taking the plunge."

http://allthingsd.com/20121227/new-s...refcat=reviews

[bizeemere]

Thumbs down from Consumer Reports.

http://news.consumerreports.org/elec...-the-cost.html


"...anything but seamless"

"Hand-off hassles"

"Republic could dump you"

"Yesterday's technology"

"Mediocre messenger"

"...not even rock-bottom pricing will be enough"

"...shaky network connections "

[bizeemere]

An honest and to-the-point review from an everyday cellphone user (actual comment is posted on RW's forums)

"So many frustrations....
digitalfarns
Feb 19, 2013 7:45 PM

I have been using RW for 3 months or so now. And I am beyond frustrated with so many aspects of the phone and the service. I just wanted to know if I am alone in my struggles. Here is a starter list of the things that frustrate the heck out of me... What have you all done to resolve any of these?

The call quality is horrible. Calls over WiFi sound like the bottom of a tin can and they cut out ALL. THE. TIME. I've never had to ask a caller to repeat himself more times in my life.
The phone can't decide when the signal is too low and should switch to cell. I'm sick and tired of the call dropping FIRST, then the phone calls the party back on cell mode.
The voicemail system is the worst in the industry. Slow menus. Doesn't respond to key punches half the time. Oh, and everytime somebody hangs up without leaving a voicemail, I have to waste 45 seconds of my life listening to the system play a null message and then ask me if I want to delete it. Oh, and the clock is screwed up, but apparently you all know about that already. I've not seen an answer to that one yet either.
The back cover doesn't fit tight, never has. So lawdee freakin' dah about it being waterproof.
Overheats all the time. Shuts down whenever it wants to. Switches itself to silent on it's own and I miss calls all the time because of it.
I would say all of this is a nice trade off for only $20 a month, but the billing department can't ever get the billing cycle right, or charge my account on the right date, so I'm pretty ticked about that.

I am really trying to stay positive. But I have missed very important [personal] communications because of this device and it's unreliable service so many times now, that I'm really starting to say it's not worth it. I knew that Beta would be buggy. But this feels like a whole lot more than I signed up for. Are there any plans to improve the service? Fix the bugs? The Facebook page is full of all happy fluff and stuff, I don't see anybody talking about the glaring problems.

I've just about had it with this thing."

[mchasal]

An honest and to-the-point review from an everyday cellphone user (actual comment is posted on RW's forums)
The back cover doesn't fit tight, never has. So lawdee freakin' dah about it being waterproof.

If the cover isn't tight, it isn't on right. This is the most difficult to deal with back cover on any phone I've had. You really have to snap it in all around when your installing it, and pry it off to remove it.

[AndroidFoneFan]

I feel for all you, really I do.
I knew going in what to expect, I was part of the very first run, this phone is better than the original.

Some one said, they (RW) made 100.000.00 in 2011 they can afford phone CS, maybe they could but 100.000.00 for a cell phone company of any size is bankrupt income, 100000.00 is nothing. People have no concept of what it takes to run a business these days, the tax rate these businesses are hit with by the government, wages, insurance, unemployment etc, etc, that companies HAVE to pay. 100000.00 is nothing for income and no profit margin at all.
The call does sound hollow, it is the state of most VOIP calls these days. RW tells you up front you will be using wifi calling, that is VOIP, they have Sprint covering the road for you.

This is a new kind of service, bugs are being worked out, it is not going to be perfect, if you are unhappy with it, they give you 30 days to get a refund, get the refund.
The other thing is you do get roaming on this service, there are many Sprint MVNOs that cost nearly three times this much and you get Zero roaming.
If you are truly unhappy with the service, get your refund and go to Straight Talk, they coast 45.00 a month, have Sprint, TMobile, Verizon and some AT&T phones, no VOIP unless you add it your self.
There are many other MVNOs as well, or you can spend up toward 100.00 with Contract AT&T or Verizon and even Sprint is crazy hi these days, TM will ask you to buy your phone outright and then give you a reduced monthly fee, but still their prices are three times that of RW.
It depends on what you want, need. But we as customers must do our homework and know what we are getting in to before we spend our money.
Just know, the higher end the phone you are on the better the VOIP calls sound. I use GrooVeIP/GoogleVoice on a Samsung Galaxy S2 for my home phone and it is 99% the quality of a cell call. If RW comes out with a phone that is in the quality range of a SGS2 in the near future most all these gripes will go right out the window.
As for the phone they have now, not perfect, but for 20.00 a month, I'll take it, I pay my own bill for my work cell and having to have two phones, one work and one personal, that 20.00 a month bill is a god send.

[bizeemere]

The author was the first to comment on his own article - "Bye republic wireless, it was a trip." Definitely not flattering, in any sense.


http://gizmodo.com/republic-wireless/