What if you could get a top-tier, current-model smartphone with all the bells and whistles, and pay between $5 and $40 a month for unlimited voice, text and data? And theres no contract required.不妨想象一下，如果你能获得一部享有耀眼功能的主流旗舰智能手机，每个月只要5-40美元（约合人民币31至244元）话费就享用无限通话、短信与数据服务，怎么样？而且还不必须投合约。Well, you can if you sign up with an innovative carrier called Republic Wireless. Republics secret is it modifies brand-name phones so they place voice calls and send texts over Wi-Fi instead of more expensive cellular networks. That lets the company charge less per month and forgo contracts. And now it offers a top-tier phone, the Moto X from Motorola.现在如果你与一家叫Republic的创意运营商签下，就可以享用到这些。
Republic的秘诀是，他们对品牌手机展开了改装成，从而让通话和短信都基于Wi-Fi，绕过了资费较贵的手机网络。这样一来，Repubilc就可以减少每月资费，而且需要合约容许。现在他们获取了一款摩托罗拉(Motorola)的旗舰手机Moto X。
When Wi-Fi is absent or too weak, Republics phones switch to Sprints cellular network for calling and texting. Cellular calls and texts dont cost extra. If you start a call via Wi-Fi and keep talking as you leave Wi-Fi range, the call switches over to cellular.当没Wi-Fi或者信号太差的时候，Republic的手机就不会转换到运营商Sprint的手机网络展开通话和短信。而手机网络的通话与短信也会额外收费。
如果你在Wi-Fi网络下拨打电话，而通话过程中离开了Wi-Fi覆盖范围，那么通话就不会转换到手机网络。Most other smartphones can make Wi-Fi calls, but these typically require an app. Republic modifies the phones main dialer and texting functions to work over Wi-Fi whenever possible. You dont have to do anything special to initiate a Wi-Fi call or text.虽然多数其他智能手机都可以通过Wi-Fi打电话，但它们一般来说必须加装应用于。Repubilc对Moto X的电话和短信功能展开了改装成，只要有Wi-Fi就启动用于。
你不必须任何类似设置就可以通过Wi-Fi打电话或发短信。Republic has been in business about a year, but its first offering had several drawbacks. First, it worked only with a clunky, limited phone, the Motorola Defy XT, which had skimpy memory, a small, low-res screen and only the older 3G cellular data network. Second, call quality over Wi-Fi was iffy, with audible echoes and some clipped words. Third, the handover between Wi-Fi and cellular was clumsy. The phone had to hang up the Wi-Fi call and redial over cellular.Republic早已运营了大约一年时间，但其首项业务不存在几大缺失。首先，他们当时服务只有一款轻巧机型摩托罗拉Defy XT，这款手机存储空间严重不足，屏幕又小，分辨率较低，而且只反对值得注意的3G手机网络。
其次，通过Wi-fi打电话并不平稳，常常有杂音和中断。再度，Wi-fi与手机网络之间转换也有问题。这款手机必需再行挂断Wi-Fi通话，然后用手机网络重拨。
Now, all that has changed. Ive been testing Republics latest, improved service on the Moto X, and it has solved all three problems. There are still a couple of drawbacks, but I can recommend it as an option for people who want to save on monthly bills and dont mind being limited to a choice of a single modern Android phone.但现在一切都转变了。我仍然在测试Repubile近期的基于Moto X改良后的服务，上述三个问题都获得了解决问题。虽然还是不存在一些缺失，但我早已可以将其作为一个自由选择展开引荐，合适给那些想要每个月省话费又不介意只有一款安卓(Android)手机自由选择的人们。
The first improvement is the Moto X, which came out in August. The Google-owned handset makers premier model has a vivid, 4.7-inch screen, fast 4G LTE data capability and 16 gigabytes of memory.第一项改良就是用于了8月份公布的手机Moto X。这款谷歌(Google)子公司的旗舰产品享有色彩鲜明的4.7英寸（约合12厘米）显示屏，反对4G LTE数据网络以及享有16GB的内存。Second, I found call quality over Wi-Fi to be very good. I heard no echoes or clipped words, and everyone with whom I tested it said the Wi-Fi and cellular calls were indistinguishable.其次，我找到Wi-Fi通话质量显得十分不俗。
我没听见回音或是中断，每个和我展开测试通话的人都说道听不出Wi-Fi通话与蜂窝网络通话有什么差异。Third, handing off calls between Wi-Fi and cellular networks is now truly seamless. Neither I nor the people with whom I was speaking could detect the millisecond pause when I left Wi-Fi range and the calls switched to Sprint.再度，Wi-Fi与手机无线网络之间的转换也显得确实无缝流畅。当我离开了Wi-Fi覆盖范围，通话转换到Sprint网络的时候，不管是我还是我的通话对象，都没找到网络转换带给毫秒(千分之一秒)的中断。
I used Republics modified Moto X in my home, in several Starbucks shops and in a few other public Wi-Fi locations. All of the calls worked fine, as did the handover as I kept talking while walking out of Wi-Fi range. My only glitch came at one of the Starbucks, where the phone had trouble with the Wi-Fi and it took several tries to connect.我在家里、几个星巴克(Starbucks)门店以及一些其他公共Wi-Fi场所用于了Republic这款改装成后的Moto X。所有通话都运营流畅，我在通话过程中走进Wi-Fi区域的网络转换也是如此。我只在一个星巴克店遇上了问题，手机相连Wi-Fi有点问题，当时中举了几次才连到。
Battery life was decent: The phone lasted a full day on a single charge.电池续航时间也不俗：这款手机一次电池可以坚决一整天。Republic charges $299 for this Wi-Fi-centric Moto X. Thats much more than what traditional carriers charge with a contract. ATT sells the same phone for $50 with a two-year contract.Republic为这款基于Wi-Fi的Moto X定价299美元（约合人民币1,824元）。这个价格比普通运营商的合约机价格高达不少。
这款机型在ATT的两年合约价是50美元（约合人民币305元）。But Republics price is considerably less than the no-contract price carriers offer. Without a contract commitment, Sprint charges $550 for the Moto X.但Republic的价格也比运营商的裸机价格要较低很多。Sprint买的Moto X裸机价是550美元（约合人民币3,355元）。
If youre willing to pay more upfront, your monthly fees are much lower with Republic. The upstart carrier offers four service plans for the Moto X. The first is just $5 a month, for unlimited calls, text and data over Wi-Fi only. Under this plan, the phone cant be used out of Wi-Fi coverage. The next plan, for $10 a month, gives you unlimited talk and text on both Wi-Fi and Sprint cellular, but only data on Wi-Fi, not cellular.如果你不愿一开始缴纳更加多，那以后给Republic的月资费就更加较低。这家新的晋运营商为Moto X获取四种服务套餐。第一种是每月5美元（约合人民币31元），无限通话、短信与网际网路，但不能通过Wi-Fi。
自由选择这个套餐的话，手机离开了Wi-Fi覆盖面积区域就无法用于了。第二种套餐是每月10美元（约合人民币61元），可以在Wi-Fi与手机网络下展开无限通话与短信，但不能通过Wi-Fi网际网路。
The third, and most popular, plan, costs $25 a month for unlimited talk, text, and data on both Wi-Fi and 3G cellular. Finally, for $40 a month, you get unlimited talk, text, and data on both Wi-Fi and 4G LTE cellular.第三种也是最热门的套餐是每月25美元（约合人民币153元），可以在Wi-Fi与3G网络下展开无限通话、短信与网际网路。最后一个套餐是每月40美元（约合人民币244元），可以在Wi-Fi与4G LTE网络下无限通话、短信与网际网路。Over time, these lower monthly fees can more than offset the higher cost of the phone. Sprint says unlimited talk, text and data on its network is at least $80 a month for the unsubsidized Moto X.随着时间的流逝，这些较低资费带给的实惠不会抵销掉出售手机时的较高价格。Sprint回应，如果是Moto X裸机要入其网络享用无限通话、短信与数据的话，每月资费最少是80美元（约合人民币488元）。
And Republic offers another cool feature: Twice a month, you can change plans right on the phone and the new fees will be pro-rated for the remaining days in the month. So if you opted for the $5 Wi-Fi-only plan, but you now need cellular coverage, you could switch on the fly to a cellular plan.Republic还获取了另一种很棒的功能：你每个月可以在手机上两次转变套餐，而新的资费不会按比例限于于当月剩余时间。所以，如果你自由选择了每月5美元的套餐，而又必须用于手机无线网络，你可以随时换回个手机网络的套餐。Republic is also planning to offer a feature that lets you change your phone number, via its app on the phone.而且，Republic还计划发售一项新功能，让你可以通过他们的手机应用于来转变电话号码。
For the increasing number of people who are in Wi-Fi coverage most of the day, Republic Wireless might well make sense.随着更加多的人每天大多数时间都在Wi-fi网络覆盖下，Republic的服务有可能很有意义。Republic says it errs on the side of caution when placing calls. It will use cellular, which costs it more, if it judges the available Wi-Fi to be too unreliable for a good call. And it doesnt try to switch you back to Wi-Fi if you start a call on cellular.Republic回应，用户在打电话时，手机不会自动选择网络，而这种慎重却有可能造成一些问题。
如果手机辨别能用的Wi-fi网络过于不平稳无法确保通话质量，就不会自由选择无线网络，但这样Republic成本就较高。而且一旦你通过手机网络电话电话了，手机就会企图转换返Wi-Fi网络。So what are the drawbacks? For one thing, you cant order the Moto X in colors, as you can with other carriers. And the Republics Moto X cant be switched to other carriers, even Sprint, because it has been modified.好了，那自由选择Republic的服务有什么缺点呢？其中之一是，你无法像在其他运营商那里可以自由选择Moto X的颜色。而且Republic的Moto X无法中用其他运营商网络，即便是Sprint也一样，因为这款手机早已经过了改装成。
Also, Republic has very limited customer service and relies mainly on its users to help other customers through online forums.而且，Republic的客户服务十分受限，主要依赖网络论坛上的用户互惠来答疑。Overall, however, Republic is offering a clever, modern service on a good smartphone, and is showing that Wi-Fi calls can be as good as cellular ones.但总的来说，Republic基于一款出众的智能手机获取了一项更为智能与先进设备的服务；他们展出了Wi-Fi通话的音质可以和手机通话一样出众。
本文来源：中欧体育-www.zj-jinheng.com
