Republic Wireless — a unique service that operates off of Sprint's network but saves money by offloading calls and texts to Wi-Fi whenever possible — has launched the Moto X today for $299 off-contract. It's a great price (Sprint sells its Moto X outright for $549.99), and it marks the first time a well-reviewed, reasonably high-end phone has been offered by the company. Republic's also debuting a new set of plans alongside the Moto X that start at $5 for unlimited Wi-Fi calling and texting without any cell service, all the way up to $40 for full-fledged unlimited LTE.

Odds are good you haven't heard of Republic Wireless; its phones aren't sold in any brick-and-mortar stores, and it only started offering service (initially as a beta with a wait list) a couple of years ago. When Paul Miller tested it in early 2012, it wasn't very good — calls had a tendency to drop out, and perhaps more importantly, your only option for a phone was a lowly LG Optimus. With the Moto X, Republic goes a long way toward solving the hardware issue: the X may be the best, most well-rounded Android phone available today, and $299 off-contract is a remarkable price for it (granted, it's locked to Republic's service). Motorola's bespoke Moto Maker service isn't available, unfortunately; you'll need to choose between black and white.

It works by trying to take as much traffic off cellular as possible

It's not for everyone, but perfect for some

Republic definitely isn't for everyone: tethering isn't supported, and there are no international roaming packages. The $5-per-month plan isn't practical as a cellular replacement simply because there aren't enough Wi-Fi hotspots in the world to use your mobile phone as, well, a mobile phone, but it could serve as a landline replacement or, as Morken noted to me, a Wi-Fi-only phone to take on international trips where cellular roaming rates can be a killer. At the high end, Republic's $40 LTE plan is no more affordable than its competitors', but it also offers a $25-per-month compromise that'll give you unlimited 3G access on the road. If Sprint's somewhat glacial EV-DO is all you need — the occasional email or Facebook visit — it's a stellar, if not downright unbeatable deal.