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iPhone Coming to U.S. Prepaid Carrier Cricket on June 22

Thursday May 31, 2012 6:10 am PDT by Eric Slivka
Cricket Communications today announced that it will begin offering the iPhone on June 22, becoming the first U.S. carrier to offer the device on a prepaid basis with no contract. Service will cost $55 per month and include unlimited voice and SMS, as well as "unlimited" data with a soft monthly cap of 2.3 GB after which speeds will be throttled.
Cricket Communications, Inc., a leading provider of innovative and value-driven wireless services, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leap Wireless International, Inc., announced today that it will be the first pre-paid carrier in the US to offer iPhone to its customers. Beginning on Friday, June 22, Cricket will offer iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 with its $55 per-month, all-inclusive unlimited talk, text and data plan. [...]

"Our customers want the best products available and we are excited to bring iPhone to our pre-paid consumers with an industry leading $55 per-month service plan," said Doug Hutcheson, president and chief executive officer, Leap Wireless International, Inc. "Launching iPhone is a major milestone for us and we are proud to offer iPhone customers attractive nationwide coverage, a robust 3G data network and a value-packed, no-contract plan."

Interestingly, Cricket appears to be offering a partial subsidy on the iPhone hardware, with the iPhone 4 priced at $399.99 and the 16 GB iPhone 4S priced at $499.99. The discounts of $150 off of Apple's standard pricing for unlocked handsets are in place even though customers are not required to sign service contracts.

The iPhone will be offered in Cricket's existing core markets covering over 60 million people. The full list of iPhone markets is included on the carrier's iPhone site.

Cricket has entered into a three-year deal with Apple with a commitment to purchase at least $900 million worth of iPhone hardware over that term. The carrier also intends to carry new iPhone hardware as it becomes available, although company executives were unwilling to directly address whether Cricket would be able to offer new hardware at the same time as other carriers.

Cricket is generally considered one of roughly half a dozen "super-regional" carriers in the United States, with just under 6.2 million customers as of the end of the first quarter. The carrier offers a nationwide network through roaming agreements and its prepaid model offers simple pricing with no activation fees or overage charges.

[ 147 comments ]


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Leonard1818
89 months ago
I never understand how the game of cricket works.
Rating: 19 Votes
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Small White Car
89 months ago



This ought to be interesting. I surely wouldn't want to work in AppleCare or at the Genius bar with this type of clientele.

An all time low for Apple, once the premier company of stellar design and beautiful products.


I'm sorry, but is the entire point of your post that poor people are dirty and we shouldn't talk to them?

I can't find any other way to take this.
Rating: 14 Votes
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FrizzleFryBen
89 months ago

Good in theory but check out their coverage. This phone is pretty much worthless if you travel anywhere. :rolleyes:

I find it annoying when I have no service anywhere. Imagine this thing, you would be surprised when you HAD service.


Honestly it covers about 95% of anywhere I would go with the exception of the mountains, but all carriers have poor performance in highly variable terrain environments.
Rating: 10 Votes
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Tiger8
89 months ago

I must say I never expected Apple to participate in the race to the bottom.

Cricket is akin to a check cashing service for the credit challenged, highly irresponsible segment of the population.

That Apple would even consider this speaks volumes about their addiction to profits first, foremost, and above all.

Yes, yes, I can imagine the responses now...

"but that's what corporations do, maximize profits".... to which I say, there _is_ a limit.

It's not like Apple is struggling desperately to survive.

This ought to be interesting. I surely wouldn't want to work in AppleCare or at the Genius bar with this type of clientele.

An all time low for Apple, once the premier company of stellar design and beautiful products.


Really? So you are saying people who don't have your networth or credit history are not worthy of an iPhone? It amazes me how judgemental people are... In an instance dude you could lose your job, get sued (slip and fall? Fender bender?) and before you know it your home, assets, job security, and credit score are down the crapper. I hope then the Genuisbar employee would give you the attitude, since you will be part of 'that clientele'
Rating: 10 Votes
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surma884
89 months ago

Good in theory but check out their coverage. This phone is pretty much worthless if you travel anywhere. :rolleyes:

I find it annoying when I have no service anywhere. Imagine this thing, you would be surprised when you HAD service.


That is why they are called a "regional" carrier.
Rating: 9 Votes
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u6crash
89 months ago

I must say I never expected Apple to participate in the race to the bottom.

Cricket is akin to a check cashing service for the credit challenged, highly irresponsible segment of the population.


I disagree. I've been a Cricket user for three years. I pay $37/mo for unlimited calls and texts. Because I'm responsible and good credit I have to pay a "premiere" carrier more money? I'm glad I've never been foolish enough to spend money on a "texting plan". Text messaging are cell carriers greatest scam and I'm glad Cricket is around to shed some light on this.
Rating: 9 Votes
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Ryth
89 months ago


Yeah, I get that. Maybe great for your kids but no adult that does any traveling will want this phone. That is unless they have crap credit and can't get a real plan for adults.


What dictates an 'adult' phone?

A 'responsible' adult wouldn't pay the ridiculous plans prices that are out there...

People on these major carriers are getting screwed. $2000+ every two years for their phone...I have better ways to spend my money.
Rating: 8 Votes
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Small White Car
89 months ago


Yeah, I get that. Maybe great for your kids but no adult that does any traveling will want this phone. That is unless they have crap credit and can't get a real plan for adults.


I travel a lot for work. In the last year I've traveled to:

New York, NY
Dallas, TX
Los Angeles, CA
San Diego, CA
San Francisco, CA
Boston, MA
Orlando, FL
Miami, FL
Columbus, OH
Chicago, IL

These all appear to be covered on the map. How much, exactly, does one have to travel before you consider it a "real adult" amount?


I live in the city so technically it would probably work for me most of the time. But I like to hike and snowboard and bike and travel outside the US.


Oh, I see. So traveling to all these cities for work is "for my kids," but snowboarding is serious adult stuff.

Got it.
Rating: 8 Votes
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Westside guy
89 months ago
I've been using an iPhone 3GS on AT&T prepaid smartphone + data without trouble.

And, to the imbecile who thinks "prepaid user" = "poor and unwashed": I am neither poor nor unwashed, and have likely held a steady job for longer than you've been alive. I also don't make many voice calls at all - so why would it make any sense for me to give away large sums of money, month after month, just for the "privilege" of carrying an iPhone?
Rating: 7 Votes
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MadeTheSwitch
89 months ago

iPhone is now going to be the "free" phone!! Cricket??? Why not add Virgin Mobile, US Cellular and GoPhone while you're at it!!

This is classic! A once revered and admired product has now become the K-Mart of cell phones. This is really unreal...very hard to believe.


What's unreal and hard to believe is that some people think of technology as some sort of status symbol and have a need to flaunt it. It's a phone, not a bar of gold.
Rating: 6 Votes

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