Cricket Communications

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Cricket Communications
Type Subsidiary of Leap Wireless
Founded 1999
Headquarters San Diego, CA
Industry Wireless Services
Website Cricket Communications

Cricket Communications, Inc. founded in 1999, is a subsidiary of Leap Wireless International, Inc. It offers prepaid wireless service in the USA. It does not require credit checks or long-term service contracts. As of quarter 1 of 2008, Cricket provides service to more than 3 million customers in parts of 25 states[1] on Leap’s CDMA 1X and 1xEV-DO networks.

On September 4, 2007, competing carrier MetroPCS announced a $5.3 billion bid to merge with Leap Wireless.[2] Leap informally rejected the bid less than two weeks later. [3] MetroPCS officially withdrew the bid less than two months later, on November 1, 2007.[4]

Contents

[edit] Services

Cricket uses a flat rate billing method, offering rate plans from $30 to $60 per month before taxes. Cricket offers nationwide extended calling area on most service plans which extends coverage to all Cricket coverage areas, Cricket also offers Nationwide Roaming which provides customers the ability to use their Cricket phone throughout the US and Canada while outside of Cricket coverage areas.

[edit] Parent Company

Leap Wireless International, Inc. is a public telecommunications company that provides wireless services through its subsidiaries, Cricket and Jump Mobile. Leap was founded in 1998.

Leap has an all-digital CDMA 1X and 1xEV-DO network that has expanded significantly in the past few years. Leap currently offers service in parts of 25 states, and has recently purchased spectrum at the AWS auction giving Leap coverage of an estimated 110 million potential customers. Leap Wireless is headquartered in San Diego, California, and is traded on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol LEAP.

[edit] Coverage areas

Cricket provides native service to the following areas:[5]

  • Arizona: Phoenix, Tucson, Nogales
  • Arkansas: Little Rock, Hot Springs, Pine Bluff, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Jonesboro
  • California: Fresno, Madera, Modesto, Merced, San Diego, Visalia
  • Colorado: Colorado Springs, Denver, Fort Collins, Pueblo
  • Georgia: Columbus, Macon
  • Idaho: Boise, Coeur d'Alene
  • Indiana: New Albany
  • Iowa: Council Bluffs
  • Kansas: Kansas City, Wichita
  • Kentucky: Lexington, Louisville
  • Mississippi: Byhalia, Hernando, Holly Springs, Horn Lake, Olive Branch, Southaven, Tunica, Walls
  • Missouri: Kansas City, St. Louis
  • Nebraska: Lincoln, Omaha
  • Nevada: Las Vegas, Reno, Sparks, Carson City
  • New Mexico: Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe
  • New York: Auburn, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse
  • North Carolina: Charlotte, Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem, Raleigh-Durham
  • Ohio: Cincinnati, Dayton, Springfield, Toledo
  • Oklahoma: Tulsa, Oklahoma City
  • Oregon: Eugene, Salem, Portland
  • Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh
  • South Carolina: Charleston, Rock Hill
  • Tennessee: Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville, Clarksville
  • Texas: Austin, Bryan, Corpus Christi, College Station, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, El Paso, Houston, Killeen, Laredo, San Antonio, Temple, Rio Grande Valley
  • Utah: Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden, Park City
  • Washington: Spokane, Vancouver
  • West Virginia: New Cumberland, Wellsburg

In August of 2006, Leap Wireless participated in FCC Auction 66, which distributed Advanced Wireless Services spectrum. The company won 99 licenses.[6] This will expand their coverage to 27 additional markets. Services have already launched in Oklahoma City[7], Las Vegas[8], and South Texas[9]. It plans to have the remaining markets rolled out by the end of 2009.[10] These markets include:

[edit] See also

  • Pocket Communications - A regional operator competing with Cricket in Southern Texas.
  • Revol Wireless - A regional operator similar in concept to Cricket and operating on parts of its networks.
  • SMS gateway - send text messages to Cricket customers.
  • MetroPCS- Cell phone company competing with cricket

[edit] References

  1. ^ Kapko, Matt (2008-05-09). Leap’s loss narrows, to $18.1M in Q1, while markets expand. RCR Wireless News. Retrieved on 2008-05-09.
  2. ^ MetroPCS bids $5.3 billion for Leap Wireless. Reuters (2007-09-04). Retrieved on 2008-05-09.
  3. ^ Leap Rejects MetroPCS Merger Offer. TheStreet.com (2007-09-16). Retrieved on 2008-05-09.
  4. ^ Dano, Mike (2007-11-01). Metro ditches bid for Leap. RCR Wireless News. Retrieved on 2008-05-09.
  5. ^ Cricket Coverage Maps
  6. ^ FCC Auctions: Summary: Auction 66. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved on 2008-6-6.
  7. ^ Leap Wireless (2008-3-31). "Leap Launches First Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) Market with Full Capacity Retail and Network Introduction of Cricket Unlimited Wireless Service to Oklahoma City". Press release. Retrieved on 2008-6-6.
  8. ^ Meyer, Dan (2008-5-12). Leap rolls dice on Las Vegas launch. RCR Wireless News. Retrieved on 2008-6-6.
  9. ^ Leap Wireless (2008-5-08). "Leap Expands Cricket Network in Texas; Offering Texas-Sized Unlimited Plans to Subscribers". Press release. Retrieved on 2008-6-6.
  10. ^ Leap Reports First Quarter Results. Centre Daily Times (2008-5-9). Retrieved on 2008-6-6.

[edit] External links

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