Tired of carrier fees? Republic Wireless now sells Wi-Fi-centric Galaxy S7s

Republic Wireless, which uses local Wi-Fi networks to patch through phone calls and send texts, is adding several new Android handsets to its lineup and shaking up its pricing structure. The carrier will begin selling the following phones at full unlocked prices (users can pay monthly installments over 18 months as well):

• Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge ($799 or $48/month)
• Samsung Galaxy S7 ($699 or $42/month)
• Samsung Galaxy J3 ($179 or $11/month)
• Samsung Galaxy S6 ($549 or $33/month)
• Google Nexus 6P ($499 or $30/month)
• Google Nexus 5X ($349 or $21/month)
• Motorola Moto X Pure Edition ($349 or $21/month)
• Motorola Moto G4 ($199 or $12/month)
• Motorola Moto G4 Plus ($299 or $18/month)

Republic Wireless is also changing up its phone plans, getting rid of the 3GB a month option. Overall, the plans are cheaper, but its "XXS" tier, which lets users have unlimited Wi-Fi and talk, but purchase text and cell data as needed, increased from $10 to $15 a month. The new pricing tiers are as follows:

• Unlimited Wi-Fi and cellular talk, text and Wi-Fi data: $15/month
• Unlimited Wi-Fi and cellular talk, text, unlimited Wi-Fi data, and 1GB cellular data: $20/month
• Unlimited Wi-Fi and cellular talk, text, unlimited Wi-Fi data, and 2GB cellular data: $30/month
• Unlimited Wi-Fi and cellular talk, text, unlimited Wi-Fi data, and 4GB cellular data: $45/month

Because the carrier defaults first to a Wi-Fi connection (the same kind you have set up at your home or local cafe and library), phone plans are generally cheaper compared with networks that use cellular coverage first. (When no Wi-Fi network is available though, Republic Wireless will switch to Sprint's network.)

Republic Wireless isn't the only carrier to use this technology. All four major carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint) have Wi-Fi calling options, and Google's Project Fi is also a Wi-Fi first network. Click here to learn more about Wi-Fi calling.