April 04, 2005
Cricket Re-energizes Customer-Friendly Approach with New Simplified Wireless Plans and Enhanced Store Design
SAN DIEGO - In a move to make its wireless service even more customer friendly and affordable, Cricket Communications, Inc., a leading provider of unlimited local and long distance wireless services, today announced it has simplified its rate plans, updated and enhanced the look and feel of its Cricket® stores and enhanced its international long distance (ILD) service to more countries.
New Simplified Rate Plans
To further its commitment to simplicity, predictability and value, Cricket has revised its service offerings to include three feature-rich unlimited plans (when calling or messaging from within a customer's Cricket calling area):
1. Unlimited Access - The most robust Cricket calling plan and the best value, Unlimited Access is available at just $45 per month and includes unlimited local and domestic long distance outbound calling (except Alaska which costs eight cents per minute with an ILD pack), unlimited inbound calls from anywhere in the world, unlimited Multimedia Media Messaging Services (MMS), unlimited text messaging and AOL® Instant Messenger™, calling features including voicemail, caller ID and call waiting, plus two directory assistant calls per billing cycle. And, those customers who sign up for Cricket Unlimited Access Plan have the option to add one or more of the following feature packs for just $5 each:
* A Flex BucketTM recurring charge that can be used for: Cricket ClicksTM BREW-based wireless data service, additional directory assistance, ILD, ringtones, premium SMS and other premium products as they are introduced. This is a recurring feature, with an expiration date of 12 months.
* 100 international long distance minutes at five cents per minute to Mexico and/or Canada, which expire at the end of the monthly billing cycle. In addition, for $15 customers can purchase 300 minutes at five cents per minute to Mexico and Canada with the 300 minutes expiring at the end of the bill cycle.
2. Unlimited Plus - For $40 a month, customers can make unlimited local and domestic long distance calls (except Alaska which costs eight cents per minute with an ILD pack) and receive calls from anywhere in the world, plus they have the option to add the following $5 feature packs:
* Voicemail, caller ID, call waiting and two directory assistance calls per billing cycle.
* Unlimited MMS, unlimited text messaging and unlimited AOL® Instant Messenger™.
Customers can also add on the Flex Bucket and ILD pack detailed above.
3. Unlimited Classic - Priced at $35 a month, customers can make unlimited local calls and receive unlimited calls from anywhere in the world and they have the option to add one or more of the feature packs available with the Unlimited Plus plan at just $5 each.
"With our $45 Unlimited Access Plan, we are giving our customers unlimited access to all the wireless bells and whistles at an extremely affordable price," said Al Moschner, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Cricket. "Based on the customer feedback and research we have conducted over the past several years, one thing has remained the same - people simply don't like the hassle of counting minutes and playing a guessing game as to how much their wireless bill will be at the end of the month, especially when they are using all types of wireless services from local and long distance voice calling to text messaging and MMS. With these new unlimited plans, we erase that concern."
Given Cricket's on-going focus on the consumer, none of the three service plans require customers to sign a long-term agreement.
"By not weighing our customers down with long-term agreements, we have the mind set that we need to earn our customers' business every day," said Moschner. "And, for nearly a decade we have been successful in doing so by offering the industry's most competitively priced, consumer-friendly products."
Cricket also launched two new phones that support MMS in the first quarter of 2005 including: the Kyocera Koi and Audiovox 8910. The service, along with MMS-capable handsets, can be purchased through Cricket's direct or indirect retail stores, or by visiting www.mycricket.com.
Refreshed Store Design
Today, Cricket service unveiled a sleek, new store appearance for its company-owned locations nationwide, with a more streamlined layout to improve customer flow; friendly greeters to help guide customers to the service or sales sections; and new, vibrant-colored point of sale (POS) materials including a new section for its Jump™ by Cricket prepaid product.
"In order to further enhance our customer service at Cricket, we evolved our stores to ensure anyone who steps through our doors has one of the best experiences in the industry," said Miles Johnson, vice president, channel development for Cricket. "We worked hard to discover what would make the experience more appealing and came up with a refreshed store layout. We also focused on ensuring all our stores have a consistent design, so no matter which store a Cricket customer visits, they will have the same, positive experience."
With today's introduction of many new services and products, Cricket also put a new training program in place for its retail representatives focused on Cricket's key attributes: unlimited service offerings, predictable rate plans, high quality networks and excellent customer service. Cricket believes the changes will improve efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Enhanced International Long Distance (ILD)
Cricket also announced it has added more countries to Cricket's ILD plan and lowered its per-minute rate to Canada and Mexico to just 10 cents per minute. Cricket now offers ILD to more than 70 countries in four tier groups - 10 cents, 20 cents, 30 cents or 60 cents per minute depending on the country.
"By breaking out our international long distance pricing into four tiers, we are able to provide our customers with the lowest rates we can for the countries that they want to call," said Moschner. "With calling to Mexico and Canada at just 10 cents per minute and 5 cents per minute with our $5 add on, we are providing a core segment of our customer base with some of the lowest calling rates in the industry."
For a complete listing of countries, please visit www.mycricket.com.
About Cricket
Cricket is a simple and affordable wireless solution offering unlimited mobile services over our high-quality, all-digital network. Predictability, simplicity and value are the foundations of our business. As the pioneer of unlimited anytime minutes and no long-term contracts required, we offer an affordable alternative for those individuals and businesses looking for flat-rate wireless services. Operating in 39 markets in 20 states stretching from New York to California, Cricket® is available to customers in more than 840 different municipalities. For more information, please visit www.mycricket.com. Cricket is a business of Leap Wireless International, Inc. [OTCBB: LEAP], headquartered in San Diego, Calif. Leap is a customer-focused company providing innovative mobile wireless services targeted to meet the needs of customers who are under-served by traditional communications companies. For more information visit www.leapwireless.com.
Except for the historical information conta
New Simplified Rate Plans
To further its commitment to simplicity, predictability and value, Cricket has revised its service offerings to include three feature-rich unlimited plans (when calling or messaging from within a customer's Cricket calling area):
1. Unlimited Access - The most robust Cricket calling plan and the best value, Unlimited Access is available at just $45 per month and includes unlimited local and domestic long distance outbound calling (except Alaska which costs eight cents per minute with an ILD pack), unlimited inbound calls from anywhere in the world, unlimited Multimedia Media Messaging Services (MMS), unlimited text messaging and AOL® Instant Messenger™, calling features including voicemail, caller ID and call waiting, plus two directory assistant calls per billing cycle. And, those customers who sign up for Cricket Unlimited Access Plan have the option to add one or more of the following feature packs for just $5 each:
* A Flex BucketTM recurring charge that can be used for: Cricket ClicksTM BREW-based wireless data service, additional directory assistance, ILD, ringtones, premium SMS and other premium products as they are introduced. This is a recurring feature, with an expiration date of 12 months.
* 100 international long distance minutes at five cents per minute to Mexico and/or Canada, which expire at the end of the monthly billing cycle. In addition, for $15 customers can purchase 300 minutes at five cents per minute to Mexico and Canada with the 300 minutes expiring at the end of the bill cycle.
2. Unlimited Plus - For $40 a month, customers can make unlimited local and domestic long distance calls (except Alaska which costs eight cents per minute with an ILD pack) and receive calls from anywhere in the world, plus they have the option to add the following $5 feature packs:
* Voicemail, caller ID, call waiting and two directory assistance calls per billing cycle.
* Unlimited MMS, unlimited text messaging and unlimited AOL® Instant Messenger™.
Customers can also add on the Flex Bucket and ILD pack detailed above.
3. Unlimited Classic - Priced at $35 a month, customers can make unlimited local calls and receive unlimited calls from anywhere in the world and they have the option to add one or more of the feature packs available with the Unlimited Plus plan at just $5 each.
"With our $45 Unlimited Access Plan, we are giving our customers unlimited access to all the wireless bells and whistles at an extremely affordable price," said Al Moschner, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Cricket. "Based on the customer feedback and research we have conducted over the past several years, one thing has remained the same - people simply don't like the hassle of counting minutes and playing a guessing game as to how much their wireless bill will be at the end of the month, especially when they are using all types of wireless services from local and long distance voice calling to text messaging and MMS. With these new unlimited plans, we erase that concern."
Given Cricket's on-going focus on the consumer, none of the three service plans require customers to sign a long-term agreement.
"By not weighing our customers down with long-term agreements, we have the mind set that we need to earn our customers' business every day," said Moschner. "And, for nearly a decade we have been successful in doing so by offering the industry's most competitively priced, consumer-friendly products."
Cricket also launched two new phones that support MMS in the first quarter of 2005 including: the Kyocera Koi and Audiovox 8910. The service, along with MMS-capable handsets, can be purchased through Cricket's direct or indirect retail stores, or by visiting www.mycricket.com.
Refreshed Store Design
Today, Cricket service unveiled a sleek, new store appearance for its company-owned locations nationwide, with a more streamlined layout to improve customer flow; friendly greeters to help guide customers to the service or sales sections; and new, vibrant-colored point of sale (POS) materials including a new section for its Jump™ by Cricket prepaid product.
"In order to further enhance our customer service at Cricket, we evolved our stores to ensure anyone who steps through our doors has one of the best experiences in the industry," said Miles Johnson, vice president, channel development for Cricket. "We worked hard to discover what would make the experience more appealing and came up with a refreshed store layout. We also focused on ensuring all our stores have a consistent design, so no matter which store a Cricket customer visits, they will have the same, positive experience."
With today's introduction of many new services and products, Cricket also put a new training program in place for its retail representatives focused on Cricket's key attributes: unlimited service offerings, predictable rate plans, high quality networks and excellent customer service. Cricket believes the changes will improve efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Enhanced International Long Distance (ILD)
Cricket also announced it has added more countries to Cricket's ILD plan and lowered its per-minute rate to Canada and Mexico to just 10 cents per minute. Cricket now offers ILD to more than 70 countries in four tier groups - 10 cents, 20 cents, 30 cents or 60 cents per minute depending on the country.
"By breaking out our international long distance pricing into four tiers, we are able to provide our customers with the lowest rates we can for the countries that they want to call," said Moschner. "With calling to Mexico and Canada at just 10 cents per minute and 5 cents per minute with our $5 add on, we are providing a core segment of our customer base with some of the lowest calling rates in the industry."
For a complete listing of countries, please visit www.mycricket.com.
About Cricket
Cricket is a simple and affordable wireless solution offering unlimited mobile services over our high-quality, all-digital network. Predictability, simplicity and value are the foundations of our business. As the pioneer of unlimited anytime minutes and no long-term contracts required, we offer an affordable alternative for those individuals and businesses looking for flat-rate wireless services. Operating in 39 markets in 20 states stretching from New York to California, Cricket® is available to customers in more than 840 different municipalities. For more information, please visit www.mycricket.com. Cricket is a business of Leap Wireless International, Inc. [OTCBB: LEAP], headquartered in San Diego, Calif. Leap is a customer-focused company providing innovative mobile wireless services targeted to meet the needs of customers who are under-served by traditional communications companies. For more information visit www.leapwireless.com.
Except for the historical information conta
