Republic Wireless Launches 30- And 90-Day Data-Only Prepaid SIM Cards

Republic Wireless has introduced a new data-only SIM card that gives customers a new way to use their phone away from WiFi. The data-only SIM is being offered in two varieties: 30 days and 90 days, both with unlimited data. The new plans are offered without contracts, but there are some important limitations surrounding speeds and roaming.

Republic Wireless is a contract-free MVNO that offers an inexpensive plan tailored toward certain types of mobile users. The company's unlimited talk and text costs $15/month, and the user can choose to add on high-speed data for $5 per gigabyte.

In this arrangement, an unlimited talk and text plan with 1GB of 4G LTE data would cost $20/month, making it an inexpensive option for mobile phone owners who primarily use WiFi. Though talk and text is nice, both have become increasingly obsolete.

A number of mobile device owners exclusively use mobile messaging and calling apps due to their low cost and support for WiFi networks. These customers have frequently requested data-only mobile broadband options from carriers, most of which continue to resist the option.

Republic Wireless has changed that and is now offering 30-day and 90-day data-only SIM cards for GSM phones through its MaxProductSales on Amazon. The 30-day SIM card costs $30, while the 90-day card is cheaper at $75. Both are plug-and-play, according to Republic; they don't require accounts or establishing a payment method.

As expected, there are some minor issues that may turn away some customers. Notably, both "unlimited" plans limit customers to 20GB/month of 4G LTE mobile data, after which point the speeds drop to 2G. As well, neither plan includes support for roaming. Despite these limitations, however, the data-only SIM cards remain an excellent option for users who may occasionally need data while away from WiFi, but who don't want to sign up for an unlimited mobile plan.