Remember Republic Wireless? We heard about the carrier upstart late last fall, and its intriguing plan to offer unlimited cell phone service, data included, for an unheard-of $19 a month. You don’t get a deal that good without a catch, and at the time we learned that the only phone option Republic had lined-up was for a $200 LG Optimus One. Since then, Republic’s been testing its system out, and is about to kick-off a big beta program this summer. As the first invites start going out to users who registered, we’re starting to learn a little more about the hardware that will eventually be available from the carrier.

A survey being sent out to beta invitees mentions Republic looking to offer phones at three different price points. For about $200, you’d get a pretty low-end Android with a 600MHz CPU and 3.5-inch display. Republic hasn’t decided on exactly which models it may offer, but think along the lines of a low-end Huawei or ZTE handset.

For about $300, you’d move up to a 3.7-inch device with a 1GHz processor, dual cameras, and a gig of storage. This time, though, Republic says the phone would be made by a more prominent company. At the high-end, $500 gets you a 4.3-incher with 1.2GHz dual-core and 8GB storage; not exactly top-of-the-line compared to other carriers, but definitely a more-than-capable phone. All prices include the first month of service.

As Republic finishes-up getting ready to start this beta, hopefully we’ll learn just which models it decides upon, fitting these spec-points.

Source: Engadget