Cricket goes nationwide with PayGo plan

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.

I talked to Greg Lund from Cricket at CTIA about the PayGo nationwide rollout, and he seemed as excited as can be. It has worked well in their test markets. Not only will it now be available in more regions, but also at more outlets. He showed me a package deal, with the Kyocera S1300, which would be available from Wal-Mart stores. Their plan is to get their PayGo phones into more retail outlets, alongside their prepaid competitors.

For a refresher, the $1 per day plan provides unlimited local calling. The $2 plan adds unlimited text and picture messaging and unlimited long distance. I noticed the long distance aspect on some signage in the Cricket booth, and asked Greg about it since I never remember having seen it advertised before. Apparently this was an omission — he assures that the $2 plan has unlimited long distance. The $3 plan adds international text messaging, mobile Web, and directory assistance.

This will provide a better option for more cost-conscious consumers. While Cricket’s monthly unlimited plans provide good value, they’re not for everyone. Consumers who don’t use their phones every day, but use them heavily on days they do, will benefit from Cricket’s PayGo plan.

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