Republic Wireless Bandwidth Republic Wireless is a no live customer service scam Raleigh North Carolina

I signed up with Republic Wireless on Clark Howard's recommendation. Their web site states that with their phone - and only their phone - you can make calls, text, and surf the web on wi-fi AT NO COST, and when you're out of wi-fi range, your phone will automatically and seamlessly find the nearest Verizon (or Sprint if Verizon isn't available) cell tower ("handover").

They lied. Read on:

I bought the $200 Republic Wireless only Moto G 3rd gen phone and immediately tested this wi-fi to cell tower "handover" with a music streaming channel. As soon as I was out of wi-fi range, the stream stopped. No cell tower "handover". I had to change my settings from wi-fi to data to stream the music, and it stayed there until I changed back to wi-fi. There is no "seamless handover".

Republic Wireless has no live customer service. There is email and online chat, but they don't work late or on weekends; in the course of dealing with one problem, it may take several days and you may have to speak with two or three customer reps, and you'll probably have to re-educate each one as to the nature of the problem. There's a sameness in the dialogue that makes me think they may be bots; "no worries" is a common response, then a metered pause, then another cookie cutter phrase.

When I tried to cancel, I was held up in the cancellation process when I wouldn't click on "agree" to an exit contract I didn't like. I read the contract, tried to bypass "I agree" and go to service cancellation, but the system wouldn't let me move forward without agreeing to use their chosen arbitration firm to settle any dispute I may have with them; agreeing to travel to North Carolina if I wanted to fight, and promising to not say anything bad about Republic Wireless. I tried to get them to let me cancel without signing the exit contract, but they refused. I would up having to cancel my credit card they had on file for autopay. After I filed an FCC complaint against them, they let me cancel without signing their exit contract.

Avoid Republic Wireless. They are an inadequate cell service provider operating on deception.