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Cricket Unlimited Wireless Services Introduced in Chicago

^{Published on 2009-02-17 04:15:23, Last Modified on 2009-02-17 04:16:54 - Market Wire}
 

SAN DIEGO & CHICAGO--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Leap Wireless International, Inc. (NASDAQ:LEAP), the parent company of Cricket Communications, Inc., a leading provider of unlimited wireless services, today announced that Cricket coverage in the greater Chicago area is substantially complete. Starting today, the Company will introduce its Cricket unlimited wireless services through the systematic rollout of retail outlets on a geographic basis, completing the initial distribution footprint over the next 30 days. In the largest Cricket market to date, Chicagoans will now have access to unlimited, feature-packed 3G wireless voice and broadband services – all at affordable rates that provide great wireless value. Cricket service is offered in the Greater Chicago area by Denali Spectrum License Operations, LLC. , a company in which Leap has a majority, non-controlling beneficial interest.

In addition to covering the Greater Chicago area, there is now contiguous Cricket coverage stretching from more than 60 miles south of Chicago in Kankakee to as far north as central Wisconsin. The Cricket footprint, which covers approximately 16,255 square miles and nearly 10.4 million covered POPs in the Greater Chicago area, brings Cricket's total national covered POPs to approximately 77.5 million.

"This is a significant milestone in Leap's expansion plans for the Cricket business as we utilize what continues to be a proven launch formula, even in challenging economic times," said Doug Hutcheson, president and CEO of Leap. "Chicago is the largest Cricket market to date, and brings Cricket's greater Upper Midwest footprint to nearly 20,000 square miles. This launch is part of the planned build-out of AWS spectrum licenses acquired by the Company and Denali and we look forward to additional launches in other markets as the year progresses. To insure that the launch of distribution is as robust as our network, we plan to rollout the distribution in concentrated sections of the market, completing the entire market by mid-March. We look forward to bringing potential customers in and around the Windy City our Cricket's value proposition and the superior choices that we bring them for affordable, unlimited wireless voice and broadband services."

Cricket rate plans range from $30 to $60 per month and include unlimited anytime minutes, unlimited U.S. long distance, unlimited text and picture messaging, unlimited text to Mexico, unlimited Mobile Web, unlimited directory assistance, nationwide roaming minutes and more -- all without requiring signed contracts or credit checks. Cricket has more than a dozen devices available to Chicago area residents ranging from higher-end handsets to more affordable mobile phones.

In addition to unlimited mobile phone services, Cricket is also offering Cricket Broadband, providing customers' unlimited Internet access anywhere in Cricket's coverage areas on their desktop or laptop computers. The Cricket monthly broadband service plan is just $35 per month for customers who also have Cricket's low-cost unlimited voice plans, and $40 per month as a stand-alone service.

Cricket is bringing more than 2,150 jobs to the area, including approximately 1,800 new positions created through the dealer network. With today's initial launch, Cricket service will be available through 10 Cricket retail stores, 100 exclusive dealers and 50 standard dealers, as well as online at [ www.mycricket.com ] or via the telephone at 800-922-9169. As Cricket expands its retail distribution presence over the next 30 days; once the market is fully launched, Cricket service will be available at 27 direct retail stores and more than 650 dealers. With nearly all of the Chicago network operational at launch, the company will provide a high quality service experience from the start while it completes the distribution rollout.

Denali Spectrum License Operations, LLC is owned by Denali Spectrum, LLC, a company in which Cricket Communications has a majority, non-controlling interest and Denali Spectrum Manager, LLC, has a controlling interest.

About Leap

Leap provides innovative, high-value wireless services to a fast-growing, young and ethnically diverse customer base. With the value of unlimited wireless services as the foundation of its business, Leap pioneered its Cricket service. The Company and its joint ventures now operate in 30 states and hold licenses in 35 of the top 50 U.S. markets. Through its affordable, flat-rate service plans, Cricket offers customers a choice of unlimited voice, text, data and mobile Web services. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., Leap is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol "LEAP." For more information, please visit [ www.leapwireless.com ].

Leap is a U.S. registered trademark and the Leap logo is a trademark of Leap. Cricket, Jump, the Cricket "K" and Flex Bucket are U.S. registered trademarks of Cricket. In addition, the following are trademarks or service marks of Cricket: Cricket By Week, Cricket Choice, Cricket Connect, Cricket Nation and Cricket PAYGo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Denali Spectrum Manager, LLC

Denali Spectrum Manager, LLC is controlled by Doyon, Limited. Headquartered in Fairbanks, Alaska, Doyon is one of the 13 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act regional corporations. Its mission is to continually enhance its position as a financially strong Native corporation in order to promote the economic and social well being of its shareholders and future shareholders, to strengthen its Native way of life and to protect and enhance its land and resources. The corporation has more than 16,500 shareholders and is one of the largest private landowners in North America.