Attempt to Set New Guinness World Record for Fastest Text Messager Sponsored by Cricket Communications in Dayton
DAYTON, OH – November 15, 2006 – Do you text message? Just days ago, pop singer Britney Spears used it as a method of informing her husband that she had filed divorce proceedings. It has become the communication method of choice among cell-phone-toting teens and young adults around the globe. There is even a category in the Guinness Book of World Records for “Fastest Text Messager.” Until a few days ago, the holder of that record was Ben Cook, a 17-year-old from Salt Lake City, Utah. On Monday, November 13, Cook’s record was broken by a 16-year-old from Singapore. Fast-fingered Miami Valley residents will have the chance to compete against Cook while he attempts to reclaim his Guinness World Record title on Tuesday, November 28.
The “Beat Ben” event will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. on November 28th at the Cricket store in the University Shops on Colonel Glenn Highway across from Wright State University, with additional appearances leading up to the main event:
7 – 9 a.m. Ben Cook will be on the air with radio station Channel 945 during the Morning Mess AM Drive Show with Gina. Listeners will be invited to send a text message to qualify to compete in the text message finals later that afternoon.
10 – 11 a.m. Ben Cook will be at the Cricket store on Needmore Road for a “qualifying” event. Anyone can compete against him to qualify for the finals.
1 – 3 p.m. Ben Cook will be at the Cricket store on Patterson Boulevard for another qualifying event. Radio One (Hot 102.9) will broadcast live from this location, inviting listeners to compete against Ben.
4 – 6 p.m. Ben Cook takes on all qualifying text messagers for a variety of prizes while attempting to set a new Guinness Book of World Records time for Fastest Text Messager.
According to official Guinness World Record guidelines, the following text is to be used when attempting the record for fastest text message:
The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human.
As of November 14, the record-setting time to beat is 41.52 seconds. Cook originally claimed the Fastest Text Message record in 2004 with a time of 57.75 seconds. After briefly losing his title later that year to a woman from Singapore, Cook reclaimed the record in July with the new time of 42.22 seconds. Now that his record has been broken once again, he is eager to try to reclaim it during the Dayton event.
All qualifying contestants will receive prizes, and the local contestant with the fastest time will receive a free Cricket phone with three months of free service.
About Cricket®
Cricket is a simple and affordable mobile phone service providing customers and local businesses with flat-rate, unlimited service over a high-quality, all-digital wireless network. Designed for customers under-served by traditional communications companies, Cricket is the pioneer of unlimited anytime minutes with no long-term contract or credit check required. Plus, Cricket offers customers access to a variety of feature-rich mobile applications such as unlimited text messaging, picture messaging and more. For more information, please visit www.mycricket.com. Cricket is a business of Leap Wireless International, Inc. [NASDAQ: LEAP], headquartered in San Diego, Calif. For more information on Leap, visit www.leapwireless.com.
