Cricket Introduces Lower International Calling Rates and Unlimited Text to Mexico
DENVER – October 25, 2007 - While new laws in Mexico are sending international calling rates to the country soaring, Cricket strives to provide value to its customer base. In November 2006 the Mexican government instituted a “calling party pays” system, an arrangement in which the Mexican mobile subscriber does not pay for incoming calls, rather the calling party pays for those calls. This new regulation has subsequently driven international calling rates to Mexican mobile phones up in the US. Cricket Communications, Inc, a leading provider of unlimited wireless services, introduced new international rates specifically geared toward customers who frequently call and text to Mexico.
Cricket now offers calls to Mexican landlines for $.05 per minute and $.20 per minute to Mexican mobile phones, and also includes unlimited text messaging to Mexican mobile phones. Incoming calls and text messages to Cricket customers are always free. Cricket is the first wireless provider to provide an unlimited service to Mexico. Like the rest of Cricket’s service, these Mexican long distance bundles are available without a contract, and they can be added and removed from eligible plans with no penalties. There are three bundles available starting at $5 a month and ranging up to $35 a month.
“The new regulation from the Mexican government has made it more expensive for people here in Denver to call friends and family over the border,” said Christopher Samuelson, area general manager for Cricket. “Cricket has always strived to make wireless communication simple and accessible to everyone, and we saw a need here. We think our customers should be able to call their loved ones in Mexico whenever they want, and for however long they want, at reasonable rates.”
It was particularly important to Cricket to provide a superior product for communication with Mexico, given that such a significant portion of Cricket’s customer base is Hispanic. 31% of Cricket customers identify themselves as Hispanic, as compared with just 8% of the wireless industry on average.
About Cricket
Cricket is a simple, affordable wireless service offering consumers and local businesses a flat-rate unlimited service over the latest technology, high-quality, all-digital CDMA2000 1X and 1xEV-DO wireless network. Designed for customers whose basic and advanced wireless needs have not been met by traditional communications companies, Cricket is the pioneer of unlimited services with no long-term commitments or credit checks required. Cricket offers customers access to a variety of the latest devices and feature-rich mobile applications such as unlimited text, instant and picture messaging, Mobile Web, popular games, ringtones and wallpapers. For more information on Cricket, visit www.mycricket.com. Cricket services are offered by Leap Wireless International, Inc., headquartered in San Diego, Calif. For more information on Leap, visit www.leapwireless.com.
