Republic Wireless Plans Now Open To All

Last year, Republic Wireless made headlines with its $19/month unlimited everything smartphone plan. At the time, the service was available in a limited Beta service. As a result, many people who were interested in the service couldn't sign up for it. Now, Republic Wireless is opening the Beta service up to everyone.

As you'll recall, Republic Wireless is a Wi-Fi-centric mobile operator. In other words, the carrier uses Wi-Fi as its primary network with cellular as a backup. Currently, Republic Wireless offers just a single phone: the Motorola DEFY XT. This appears to be a pretty decent mid-range smartphone with a 3.7-inch display, 1GHz processor, and a 5MP rear-facing camera.

Preorders for the dual-band DEFY XT are being taken now. You can order up to four phones which are expected to begin shipping in mid-December. The dual-band DEFY XT is available for $249 plus a $10 start-up fee and applicable taxes.