Cricket LTE Launches In Tucson, Huawei Boltz Receives Official Unveiling
Leap Wireless (Cricket) promised the public that Tucson would see LTE service before the end of the year, and it looks like the company has stayed true to their promises. Hoping to be a true prepaid wireless contender against the big dogs like Metro PCS, Cricket has introduced its first 4G demographic with just days left in the 2011 calendar.
Cricket’s LTE coverage will support at least 90 percent of Tucson, and nearby Nogales, AZ will see 4G expansion sometime early next year. Additionally, the company plans to cover most of the country within the next three years.
The first LTE device, the Huawei Boltz or otherwise known as the Huawei E397, received its officially unveiling today as part of the 4G festivities. The handset will run consumers $150 off contract with two data plans of 5GB each are available. $50 will provide users with download speeds of 3Mbps, and $60 will offer users download speeds of 6Mbps. So, if you call Tucson your home, and the thrill of 4G speeds without a contract excites you, then continue reading below for the full press release.
Leap’s Cricket Service Begins Network Transition to 4G LTE with First Commercial Market Launch in Tucson, Arizona– Huawei Boltz USB Modem Cricket’s First LTE Device –
CRICKET COMMUNICATIONS, INC. LEAP LOGO Leap Wireless International, Inc. (PRNewsFoto/Cricket Communications, Inc.) SAN DIEGO, CA UNITED STATESSAN DIEGO, Dec. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Leap Wireless International, Inc. (NASDAQ: LEAP), the parent company of Cricket Communications, Inc., a leading provider of innovative and value-driven wireless communications services, today announced the beginning of its transition to 4G LTE with a commercial market launch in its Tucson, Ariz. Cricket market. The launch marks the beginning of the Company’s planned, multi-year transition of its existing high-quality 3G network to 4G LTE.”The introduction of Cricket 4G LTE in Tucson as our first commercial market is an early milestone in our transition to LTE that will allow us to continue to offer our customers high-quality products and services with the latest technology at the value price they’ve come to expect,” said Doug Hutcheson, president and CEO of Leap. “Cricket is the leader in providing the best value in the wireless industry. That leadership comes from introducing new products and services, like LTE, in a thoughtful manner and on a timeline that is appropriate for our value conscious customers.”4G LTE is the fastest most advanced network technology in America delivering data at incredibly fast speeds. In pre-launch speed tests conducted in the Tucson market, Cricket’s 4G speeds ranged from 5 to 10 times faster than current 3G data speeds. More than 90 percent of Cricket’s Tucson market footprint will be covered by the new 4G LTE network and further expansion is planned for nearby Nogales, Ariz. in 2012.At launch, 4G LTE service will be accessible via mobile broadband services and the Cricket’s first 4G LTE device, the Huawei Boltz (E 397) modem, will be available for $149.99 (MSRP) at Cricket’s company-owned stores. Cricket’s LTE device roadmap is expected to grow steadily from modems to smartphones and ultimately other devices such as tablets. Tucson customers can select from two 4G LTE monthly service plans each providing up to 5GB of data per month. The $50 plan offers download speeds of up to 3Mbps and the $60 plan offers download speeds up to 6Mbps.
The Huawei Boltz, Cricket’s first 4G LTE modem, features a lightweight, sleek design. Its integrated installation software allows quick and easy set-up, the modem has a hinge and pivots to any USB 2.0 configuration and has a microSD slot for up to 32GB additional memory storage. The Boltz is backwards compatible with Cricket 3G networks for use in non-4G Cricket markets.
Huawei Boltz Features
Frequency:
4G: LTE AWS Band Class 15 Bandwidth 1.4MHz, 3MHz, 5MHz
3G: CDMA 1x & EVDO BC1 & BC15 (1900 & AWS)
aGPSOS Compatibility:
Windows XP SP2/SP3, Window Vista SP1/SP2 (32 & 64 Bit), Windows 7 (32 & 64 bit)
Mac OS 10.5 to 10.6 with latest updates (32 & 64 bit), 10.7 (32 & 64
Micro USB (High Speed)Processor:
MDM9600
Memory Slot:
microSD™ (supports up to 32GB)
Dimensions/Weight
(H) 4″ x (W) 2.2″ x (D) .60”
3.9ozMonthly Rate Plans:
$50 Plan – 5GB of data with speeds up to 3Mbps
$60 Plan – 5GB of data with speeds up to 6Mbps
