One killer in the wireless industry is churn, the percentage of customers who packed up their things and left. This is an even bigger issue in prepaid, where a contract doesn’t tie a customer to a service. Cricket announced their third quarter results yesterday, and churn stood out. It was at 5.4 percent, up a full point from the second quarter 2009 and up 1.2 points from the third quarter 2008. That hurt their subscriber adds, which clocked in at 116,000. They added 156,000 in the same period last year, and 203,000 in the second quarter of this year. Their average revenue per user (ARPU) fell, but that’s likely because they added more features to less expensive plans. Cricket ended the quarter with 4.65 million subscribers.

Posted in Cricket on November 6th, 2009
No Comments

Last week we learned that MetroPCS was offering a $30 unlimited plan that included unlimited long distance and unlimited text messaging. They say it’s available for a limited time, and for new customers only, but it’s still a great deal for those who just use the phone’s basic functions. Cricket is trying to keep up, offering a $25 deal that would seem to undercut Metro’s plan, though it has a major shortcoming.

Posted in Cricket on November 5th, 2009
No Comments

Cricket wireless tried something new when they released their PAYGo plans. Instead of offering flat-rate, unlimited calling plans only on a monthly basis, PAYGo offers them daily. Their $1/day plan offers unlimited local calling and 10 cents per minute for long distance, but no text messaging. That changed over the weekend. Cricket will now offer an unlimited incoming text message plan for $1/day customers. Sent messages will cost 10 cents each. This is effective now, so $1/day customers should already have the option to begin text messaging.

Posted in Cricket on November 2nd, 2009
No Comments

It seems that regional carriers MetroPCS and Cricket wireless are always adding new handsets. Some of them are good, but many of them are low- and mid-range devices. That’s because the companies don’t subsidize their phones like contract carriers, putting the cost burden on the consumer. Since low-end handsets are cheaper, it makes sense to load up on them — they’re more affordable to the consumer. We learned yesterday that Cricket has launched the LG Helix, a clamshell phone that features a 1.3 megapixal camera and Bluetooth. It also contains a feature called Voice Clairty, which helps when talking in a noisy area. It’s $139.99, and it’s available now at Cricket’s website.

Posted in Cricket on October 29th, 2009
No Comments

While Cricket wireless has expanded its nationwide distribution, making its product available to a larger swath of consumers, it will not move away from its core business. Cricket positions itself as a low-cost provider, and they know that adding high-end handsets can disrupt that message. Senior director of devices Sergio Garcia said that the company will not commit to Android handsets, an unsurprising move for Cricket. They might in the future, but for now they’ll focus on low-cost handsets, on which they can deliver an expanding range of content.

Posted in Cricket on October 12th, 2009
No Comments

When Cricket announced that they have distribution deals with big box retailers, they left out the specifics. We got word of one of them yesterday: Target. Cricket will be available at 650 locations starting Sunday, October 4. This will be Cricket’s PAYGo services, which were expanded last week to include $40 and $45 monthly plans in addition to the $1, $2, or $3 daily plans. Two phones will also go up for sale: the TXTM8 and the CAPTR. Again, look for the phones and refill cards on October 4.

Posted in Cricket on October 1st, 2009
No Comments

Cricket wirelessCricket could become the nation’s No. 1 wireless carrier and it would still suffer from the same problem: its name. Not that Cricket is a bad name. But in the Internet age, having a fairly common word — not to mention a major worldwide sport — as your brand name can be rough. It means you might not get your brand’s domain name, and Cricket doesn’t have theirs right now. It was actually the subject of this blog’s biggest boo boo. Cricket.com is now dedicated to the sport, but that won’t stop Cricket from upgrading MyCricket.com. This weekend Cricket got a new domain, CricketWireless.com, reports Domain Name Wire.

Posted in Cricket on September 28th, 2009
No Comments

Cricket has a new phone available, the CAPTR, pronounced “capture.” It’s as basic as they get, featuring a VGA camera, Bluetooth, and messaging capabilities. This includes MMS — what would a camera phone be without that? The good news is that it’s relatively cheap for Cricket: just $79.99 after a $50 web discount. You can get it at Cricket’s website.

Posted in Cricket on September 23rd, 2009
No Comments

Cricket wireless announced yesterday that they are adding new options to their PAYGo service. Introduced about a year ago, Cricket PAYGo is a pay-per-day version of the company’s unlimited services. Instead of paying a flat monthly fee, users can pay $1, $2, or $3 per day, only on days they use the phone, and receive varying levels of unlimited service. Yesterday’s announcement added monthly plans to the PAYGo offering. This brings with it two advantages: the absence of taxes and fees, and the ability to pay for the service with PAYGo top-up cards.

Posted in Cricket on September 17th, 2009
No Comments

We live in a world of 5GB limits on data transfer for mobile broadband. All the major carriers impose this limit, and they charge sizable overages that do well to keep people under 5GB. Cricket is a bit different. They charge about $20 less than the major carriers — $40 vs. $60 for the big players — and while they have a 5GB cap, there are no overages. They just throttle the connection, moving you to an ant’s crawl across the Internet. Now they’re looking at an additional tier: $60 for 10GB. That would mean the same price as the big players, but for double the data transfer. It’s only a test for now, and there’s no guarantee that Cricket makes it publicly available. If they do, they could lock down a number of broadband customers looking for more than the standard 5 gigs.

Posted in Cricket on September 4th, 2009
No Comments

Will the subject of a MetroPCS/Leap Wireless merger ever go away? It might go on the mum for a while, but that’s only temporary. Until the two companies finally sign on the dotted line, pundits will continue to murmur about it. I discussed the topic on last month’s Prepaid Podcast, though none of the arguments were original. The framework has always been there for a deal, but nothing has materialized to date. Just as we did two years ago, we’re starting to hear about it again. In fact, Leap shares rose 7.5 on the strength of the renewed speculation. Still, don’t look for it to happen any time soon.

Posted in Cricket on September 4th, 2009
2 Comments

The above-pictured device isn’t brand new; Alltel picked it up in March. It’s new for Cricket, though. The Motorola VE465 is a mid-range clamshell with EVDO data capabilities. It features a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and a music player with up to 4GB microSD expansion. There’s not much bragging to go along with this phone, so let’s cut to the chase. It’s available starting today, for $199.99 at Cricket’s website and at retail outlets.

Posted in Cricket on September 3rd, 2009
No Comments

An interesting story around the prepaid wireless world is the SafeLink program which Tracfone uses to provide underprivileged families with cell phones. This works through the Universal Service Fund, which cellular consumers pay into monthly. Tracfone then uses that fund to provide a nominal number of monthly minutes to qualified low-income individuals and families. It looks like Cricket is going to try something similar, though they’ll be aiming for wireless broadband. Maisie Ramsay at Wireless Week has the story.

Posted in Cricket on August 19th, 2009
No Comments

The second quarter of each fiscal year is not kind to wireless companies. Nor is the third. The first and fourth quarters are the busy ones, so things are rarely as good as they seem then, and rarely as bad as they seem in the middle of the year. That’s one bit of encouragement for Cricket and MetroPCS, two companies which had strong first quarters followed by not so strong second quarters. Cricket added 203,000 net subscribers in the second quarter, down from 493,000 in the first quarter. MetroPCS gained 206,000 subscribers, a far cry from the 684,000 it added in the first quarter. Both companies had churn issues, as Cricket turned over 4.4 percent of its subscriber base, while Metro shed 5.8 percent.

Posted in Cricket on August 10th, 2009
No Comments

When we learned of MetroPCS improving their service plans, we had to figure that Cricket wouldn’t be far behind. Almost on cue, they announced improvements to their service plans yesterday. These cover Cricket customers in “select markets,” so make sure to check and make sure they’re available to you. And, also not to be outdone, Cricket added new coverage to their roaming markets.

Posted in Cricket on August 4th, 2009
No Comments

It was only a few weeks ago that the TXTM8 popped up on the Cricket Website. It was a promo — a teaser, if you will — as the company prepared for a launch. Down in the comments, reader Kelly let us know that it is now ready for purchase. Quickly running down the features, it has a full QWERTY slide-out keyboard, an MP3 player with an expandable memory slot, Bluetooth, and a 1.3 megapixel camera. So it’s not the most modern phone, but it’s a good fit for Cricket because of the price: $139.99. You can get it at Cricket’s Website or at a retail outlet.

Posted in Cricket on July 17th, 2009
No Comments

We’ve seen both MetroPCS and Cricket launch service in new markets this year, but we’ve yet to see an expansion quite like Cricket’s latest. This one involves an indoor network at Chicago’s McCormick Place, the nation’s largest convention center (at least according to the press release). It sees more than three million people pass through its halls each year for various conventions, so Cricket is obviously catering to quite the crowd here. But with Cricket’s regional nature, are they really better off with an indoor network at a site which hosts mostly out-of-towners?

Posted in Cricket on July 9th, 2009
1 Comment

Looks like it’s time for yet another phone to hit Cricket wireless. This is the TXTM8, which you can see at mycricket.com. It looks like a reissue of the Verizon Blitz, which is the UTStarcom TXT8010. Behind the stubby face is a full QWERTY keyboard which supports mobile Web, email, games, and Cricket navigation. Also featured: stereo Bluetooth, a 1.3 megapixel camera, and an MP3 player with 4GB microSD expansion. There’s no word on when it will drop or how much it will cost. We’ll be sure to pass those along in due time.

Posted in Cricket on June 23rd, 2009
6 Comments

Much discussion lately has circled around whether prepaid wireless is here to stay, or if it’s an ephemeral trend which will dissipate as the economy strengthens. Obviously, those who work for prepaid wireless companies think that it has staying power. We’ve already heard executives from Boost Mobile and MetroPCS say as much. Now it’s time for Cricket wireless’s CEO to get a crack at it. Marguerite Reardon of CNET sits down with Doug Hutcheson to see what he thinks of the current landscape.

Posted in Cricket on June 19th, 2009
No Comments

For people living in the Baltimore down to the Northern Virginia area, Cricket is headed your way. Word comes from the Washington Business Journal that the flat-rate, unlimited calling prepaid carrier will launch service in select markets on June 23. These include Baltimore, the western shore and southern Maryland, Fredericksburg, Virginia, and Frederick, Maryland. This will include D.C. There are plans for 100 retailers and dealers in the area, including 10 corporate stores.

Posted in Cricket on June 15th, 2009
No Comments

That’s the Samsung MyShot II, the newest offering from Cricket wireless. It’s not a bad offering, a mid-range clamshell with an external display and a few bells and whistles. The camera is 1.3 megapixels, which is a bit disappointing since the phone’s name makes it seem like a camera special. It does have Bluetooth, mobile Web access, and a music player with 8GB microSD expansion, so that’s all good news. The data only runs on 1x speeds, a bit disappointing because of Cricket’s broadband capacity, but not a huge deal because of the phone’s nature (it’s not really designed for heavy Web browsing). It’ll cost $140, and you can nab it at Cricket’s website.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Posted in Cricket on June 15th, 2009
No Comments

When news like Leap Wireless’s recent stock offering hit the wires, the standard procedure is to open it read it and throw it away. Yeah, it’s prepaid company-related news, but it’s not of real note as far as the end user is concerned. This time, though, perhaps it could foreshadow some future developments. After all, offering additional shares of stock means the company is trying to raise money. Perhaps they have something interesting in the offing.

Posted in Cricket on June 1st, 2009
2 Comments

It’s been nearly two months since we first learned of the Motorola Evoka QA4, which would be launched by Cricket wireless. The release appears to be around the bend, as the company has set up a pre-order website for the device (via Phone Scoop). The only subsidy is a Web-only discount of $20, making the device $279.99. However, what’s strange is the monthly add-on Cricket will charge for the Evoke. Apparently a $50 unlimited voice, messaging, and data plan does not include what Cricket terms the HTML Data Feature. This is not only an additional $15 per month, but it is required for the Evoke. I wonder if it will negatively affect sales.

Posted in Cricket on May 26th, 2009
5 Comments

This sounds like just a rumor for right now, but the word late yesterday was that AT&T might be considering an acquisition of Leap Wireless. That’s really it, though. It comes from The Wall Street Journal’s “Heart on the Street” column, and the only evidence is that both companies canceled appearances at investor conferences. Correlation does not imply causation, though, and there are plenty of reasons why such an transaction does not make sense.

Posted in Cricket on May 20th, 2009
No Comments

Despite the overall economic climate, prepaid carriers fared rather well in the first quarter of 2009. The latest to report their subscriber numbers is Leap Wireless. No on expected them to do as well as rival MetroPCS — Leap didn’t, after all, begin offering service in two of the nation’s largest markets. Even so, Leap did fine in their own right, adding 493,000 subscribers, which more than doubled their net adds from the same quarter 2008. It gives Leap 4.3 million subscribers at the end of the quarter, up 1.2 million from the same time last year. So things are looking good for Cricket.

Posted in Cricket on May 8th, 2009
No Comments

Customer service doesn’t have the most sterling reputation in the prepaid sector. In reading through the user reviews in our pay as you go cell phone provider reviews, it is evident that many people become frustrated when issues arise because customer service cannot aid in solving them. While this is no guarantee of better customer service, Cricket wireless has hired Sitel to take care of its bilingual customer service and tech support needs. This will be for both Cricket’s traditional cellular and mobile broadband services.

Posted in Cricket on April 30th, 2009
No Comments

Phone subsidies have forever been an issue with prepaid. The mainstream postpaid cellular world has made us accustomed to getting good phones relatively cheap. But because carriers like Cricket wireless don’t require contracts, they also don’t offer subsidies. This leaves their phones on the expensive side, at least relatively speaking. So when they have a sale, we’re all ears. This time they’re discounting the Samsung MyShot from $149.99 to $79.99. That’s after instant Web savings and a mail-in rebate. Click the link to get the details on the model. The sale runs through May 31.

Via Wireless and Mobile News.

Posted in Cricket on April 27th, 2009
No Comments

Apparently, today is Earth Day. In celebration, Cricket wireless has announced a cell phone recycling program. This is certainly an important issue that extends far beyond Earth Day. Not only can the parts used to make cell phones be reused, but the presence of these and other electronic devices in landfills is hazardous to the environment. So why not take an easy measure and recycle your old phone instead of throwing it away? Collectively it can make a big difference.

Posted in Cricket on April 22nd, 2009
No Comments

Didn’t we just see this device a few days ago? On Wednesday, MetroPCS launched the Motorola Hint, a slider QWERTY phone. Today, Cricket has followed suit, rolling out the device on their own network. This is the third carrier to launch it, so we’re pretty familiar with the specs, including MP3 player and 2 MP camera. The price is the same as on Metro: $249.99. It’s ready to go on Cricket’s website.

Posted in Cricket on April 17th, 2009
No Comments

When I talked to Cricket’s Greg Lund at CTIA, I asked him about ways Cricket could expand given their limited network coverage. After all, it’s not like a company can just go out and buy spectrum (if they could, there’d be a lot more competition in the wireless space). He told me that beyond finishing the rollouts of their remaining AWS markets, that they’d get creative in how they expand business. Yesterday we heard one example. Cricket will be the third carrier to offer service on Chicago’s subway service.

Posted in Cricket on April 14th, 2009
No Comments

In an effort to provide customers with more calling options, Cricket wireless introduced a daily PayGo plan in the latter part of last year. For $1, $2, or $3 dollars per day, only on days when the phone is used, customers can enjoy a varying number of unlimited calling and messaging features. The service launched as an experiment in limited markets, but now is ready to expand to all of Cricket’s markets. Now all of their 80 million-plus covered POPs will have access to both their flat-rate, unlimited monthly calling plans and their pay per day PayGo plans.

Posted in Cricket on April 6th, 2009
No Comments

As if March wasn’t a busy enough month for Cricket wireless, they kicked off April with a brand new service. It is dubbed MyPerks, and that’s really what it is: a set of perks for mobile subscribers. This includes information and deals on products and services, from various retailers and restaurants in your local area. From the FAQ: “You’ll receive everything from daily specials at local restaurants and sales at your favorite stores, to prize giveaways for merchandise, food and tickets to sporting events, concerts or movies. You will also receive timely and useful information such as weather and fun information from the world of sports and entertainment.” To get MyPerks on your phone, just head to cricketmyperks.com, where you’ll find the FAQ, instructions, and more information about the specifics of the service.

Posted in Cricket on April 2nd, 2009
1 Comment

One thing I wondered when Cricket wireless started expanding and introducing mobile broadband was whether they’d move into high-end phones. It makes sense from a geek perspective, but from a low-cost carrier which doesn’t subsidize phones perspective it can go either way. Apparently they’re giving it a shot with the Motorola QA4. It’s a touchscreen with a slide out standard 12-digit keyboard. For features it sports a 200×400 LC touch screen, Bluetooth, 256 MB memory expandable to 16GB, a 2 megapixel camera, a full HTML browser, and video streaming capabilities. It’s looking like a May release with Cricket, though a price is not yet set. Expect a few hundred.

Posted in Cricket on March 31st, 2009
11 Comments

Does it matter to the consumer if a company is considered good to work for? I’m not so sure. A happy employee might be a helpful employee, but even then that employee might not be able to help you. So while it’s nice to hear that Cricket has been named a top 100 company to work for, I’m not so sure it means a better experience for the end user. It certainly doesn’t hurt, though.

Posted in Cricket on March 30th, 2009
No Comments

At CTIA last year we learned that Nokia unveiled the 3606, an AWS-band phone. We played the guessing game at that point: which carrier would it land on? We finally got the answer: Cricket wireless. It’s a music phone, which is always a nice feature these days. You’ll need to take advantage of the microSD card, as the phone only comes with 15MB of internal memory. It is also Bluetooth ready, a 1.3 megapixel camera, , and a 262k color internal display. You can get it for $179.99 from Cricket’s website.

Posted in Cricket on March 20th, 2009
No Comments

A phone so big you have to dial like you’re Vanna White. Via Engadget, we learn that Cricket and Samsung have teamed up to create the world’s largest cell phone. It’s a Samsung Messenger, and boy are those keys big. They’ll officially unveil it today, and I can only hope they can transport it to CTIA. You can check out the process at getsomerespekt.com. Video after the jump.

Posted in Cricket on March 11th, 2009
No Comments

It’s all about keeping up with the Joneses, right? All the way back in July, MetroPCS expanded their network to the greater Philadelphia area. With new networks in New York and Boston, this gives them a large footprint in the Northeast. Now it’s time for Cricket wireless to present itself to the region. They’ll begin offering services in Philadelphia starting today. The City of Brotherly Love will now have access to Cricket’s unlimited voice and data plans, plus Cricket’s wireless broadband service.

Posted in Cricket on March 10th, 2009
No Comments

It looks like we have another member of Cricket’s entry-level phone club. This time it’s the Samsung r211, a candybar phone with a minimal feature set. There’s no Bluetooth, but there is a WAP browser and a USB input. And really, that’s about it. Cricket has added a few of these phones in the past month or so, with the Kyocera S1300 and the Cricket A100. It’ll cost $90, which is right in line with those devices.

h/t Phone Scoop

Posted in Cricket on March 6th, 2009
No Comments

Talk about a surprise. Imagine walking into a Cricket wireless dealer, expecting to find a plan and phone that fits your needs. You’ve done your research, and you’re prepared to lay down cold hard cash for the device an service. Imagine then being told that you will receive the phone and the service — plus a broadband modem and broadband service — free for one year. That’s what happened to one Syracuse resident. He went to sign up for a Cricket plan and became their four millionth customer. Congratulations to Jeffrey Sodja, who took home the grand prize.

Posted in Cricket on March 3rd, 2009
1 Comment

Last year, we saw Cricket wireless not only expand their own network, but they helped other networks grow. They helped get out the vote and promote election awareness, which certainly falls outside the normal scope of a wireless company. We now receive news that they’re working with Rebuilding Together, a nonprofit working to preserve homeownership and revitalize communities. Kudos to Cricket for lending a hand, especially during these trying times.

Posted in Cricket on February 23rd, 2009
3 Comments

Looks like Cricket wireless is trying to get Chicagoans to test out some new phones. Yesterday we learned they launched the Cricket A100. Today (or, rather, yesterday), we find out they’ve launched the Kyocera S1300. Sifting through the specs, the only upgrade it seems to have over the A100 is picture caller ID. Again, there’s no mention of Bluetooth. Like the A100, it costs $89.99 and you can get it from a Cricket outlet in the greater Chicago area.

Posted in Cricket on February 20th, 2009
No Comments

One day it’s Cricket rolling out service in Chicago. The next it’s the launch of a new handset. That’s the Cricket A100 you see above, a mid-range candybar now available to customers in the Greater Chicago area. Funny, in the description it doesn’t mention Bluetooth capabilities, which I suppose, in this day in age, would send it down to the low-range categorization. There’s honestly nothing to report on the phone, other than it can perform your basic talk/text function, plus handle mobile Web, games, and apps. It’ll cost $89.99, one of the cheaper Cricket handsets, and will be available in other markets soon.

Posted in Cricket on February 19th, 2009
2 Comments

Bet your bottom dollar you’ll lose the blues in Chicago. Well, you will if you’re looking for a no-contract, unlimited calling phone plan. Leap Wireless has rolled out their Cricket service in the Windy City. This comes as part of their AWS expansion, which is expected to continue throughout this year. Now Chicagoans can experience the benefits of Cricket’s unlimited services, with plans starting at $25. Plus, as the Chicago Tribune says, the company’s PAYgo pay per day plans should be available as well.

Posted in Cricket on February 18th, 2009
1 Comment

One criticism we hear a lot about prepaid wireless companies is that they don’t offer enough premium services, including multimedia and other Web capabilities. We’ve seen that change in a number of companies recently. This week, Cricket wireless joined the fray as they launched their Mobile Music service to their 3.84 million subscribers.

Posted in Cricket on February 12th, 2009
No Comments

The fourth quarter results are rolling in, and things are looking good. Next up is Leap Wireless, parent of Cricket. We knew they gained a significant number of customers, but late yesterday they reported the full figures. The company added 385,000 net customers in the fourth quarter. This brings their total to 3.84 million, or just a tick below Virgin Mobile and MetroPCS. Leap made gains in old markets, expansion markets, and their mobile broadband service.

Posted in Cricket on January 8th, 2009
No Comments

This won’t be of note to most prepaid customers, but it’s worth noting that Leap Wireless, parent of Cricket Communications, has agreed to a deal with Convergys for the latter to manage Leap’s new billing system. What this means to the consumer, hopefully, is a stable pricing model. And, you know, peace of mind in knowing you’re getting billed correctly. A few quotes after the jump.

Posted in Cricket on January 7th, 2009
No Comments

We know that Cricket wireless is expanding their coverage area, and plan to double their covered POPs by 2009. This will be accomplished by rolling out service in Seattle; Minneapolis; Milwaukee; Chicago; Philadelphia; Baltimore; Washington, D.C.; Richmond and Virginia Beach, Va.; Columbia and Greenville, S.C.; Huntsville, Mobile and Birmingham, Ala.; Biloxi, Miss.; New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette, La. One city you don’t see on that list is Atlantic City, New Jersey, but it sounds like the company will offer services in AC next year.

Posted in Cricket on December 3rd, 2008
No Comments

Last week, Leap continued its quest to double its covered population by 2009. The parent company of Cricket wireless announced the launch of their network in the greater Milwaukee and Madison markets in Wisconsin. This adds another 2.4 million POPs to their coverage area, bringing their total to 64.1 million. They’re still shooting for 120 million by the end of next year.

Posted in Cricket on November 24th, 2008
No Comments

It looks like thins are going as planned for MetroPCS and Cricket. We heard last week that the two companies would roll out nationwide roaming plans this week. MetroPCS did so on Monday. Now we learn that Cricket has gotten in the game. They have roaming partnerships not only with MetroPCS, but with 13 other wireless companies to provide their customers with a wider calling map.

Posted in Cricket on November 13th, 2008
No Comments

It was almost a month ago that MetroPCS reported their third quarter subscriber numbers. Now comes word on rival Leap Wireless and their Cricket prepaid service. They added 155,779 net subscribers in the third quarter, nearly 100,000 less than MetroPCS. That’s not the whole story, though. This is a giant leap, pardon the pun, from Cricket’s number from last year, when they added 36,484 net subscribers in the third quarter — though they faced some turmoil about their books. All was corrected, though.

Posted in Cricket on November 6th, 2008
No Comments