It looks like Republic Wireless — the upstart cellular service that uses Wi-Fi and falls back to Sprint when necessary — was onto something when it launched back in 2011.

Meanwhile, the Journal also reports that Cablevision is launching a Wi-Fi-based phone service next month, Freewheel, which will run $9.95 for the cable company's existing customers and $29.95 a month for everyone else. (Republic Wireless' Wi-Fi-only plan, for comparison, is $5 per month.) It's starting in New York, but will eventually be available nationwide. Naturally, it'll include access to Cablevision's Optimum Wi-Fi hotspots. The only phone available at launch, though, will be the low-end Moto G — not necessarily an attractive option for bleeding-edge types who are trying to escape traditional cell services.

For companies without access to cellular spectrum — which is basically everyone outside a small collective of longtime wireless operators — Wi-Fi service is becoming far more practical thanks to the proliferation of hotspot networks, some of which are powered in part by customers' own homes. With decent service, a cellular fallback, and prices considerably below what the big four nationals can offer directly, Google could have a winner on its hands.