Leap Continues Rollout of 'Cricket No Contract 4G LTE Service' with Launches in Philadelphia, Phoenix, Houston & South Texas

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Leap Wireless International, Inc. (NASDAQ: LEAP), today announced the launch of 4G LTE service in Philadelphia and Phoenix, and in Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Laredo, Corpus Christi and Brownsville-McAllen-Harlingen, Texas.  The Company also announced the introduction of its first two 4G LTE smartphones, the LG Optimus Regard and the Samsung Galaxy S III, along with LTE smartphone plans featuring a limited-time offer of double data allowances.

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Today's announcement completes the first phase of the Company's introduction of 4G LTE technology.  The Company initially launched its LTE service in Tucson, Ariz. in 2011 and began LTE service in Las Vegas in October 2012. The company's LTE service now covers approximately 21 million potential customers across 11 markets.

"The market launches we are announcing today successfully complete the first-phase of our 4G LTE strategy as we continue to offer our customers high-quality products and services with the latest technology and the value they've come to expect," said Doug Hutcheson, president and CEO of Leap.  "We're always looking for new opportunities to provide an enhanced customer experience and our investment in 4G technology is another way we're accomplishing that.  Our customers depend on their mobile devices more than ever and the two 4G LTE phones we're announcing today are high-quality devices that deliver the features and experience our customers want." 

The Company's 4G LTE rollout is a product of thoughtful spectrum management.  The Company has kept spectrum available in order to give it flexibility in steering a clear path to 4G LTE. LTE is the fastest, most advanced network technology in America delivering data at incredibly fast speeds. In pre-launch speed tests conducted in the markets launching today, Cricket's 4G LTE speeds ranged up to 15 times faster than current Cricket 3G data speeds, depending on market conditions.

Cricket's first 4G LTE smartphone is the LG Optimus Regard.  This fully-featured Android smartphone comes with a 3.5" HVGA touch screen, LG's Quick Memo technology and 4G real web browsing and is available now for $249.99 (MSRP) at Cricket stores and dealers in all Cricket markets as well as at www.mycricket.com. 

Cricket is also introducing the Samsung Galaxy S III, a compelling Android smartphone that comes with a 4.8" HD Super AMOLED touch-screen, S-Voice technology and 4G Real Web Browsing. The GALAXY S III features the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS, an 8MP w/LED Flash Camera/Camcorder with a 1.9MP front camera that offers users a variety of intelligent camera features and face recognition related options that ensure all moments are captured easily and instantly.  The Samsung Galaxy S III is expected to be available in Cricket stores and dealers in Cricket markets on www.mycricket.com by Friday, November 23.

Both phones will also be available on Cricket's 4G LTE Android Double Data service plans that offer, for a limited time, double the monthly full speed data allowance offered in 3G rate plans.  The $50 4G LTE Android Double Data Rate Plan allows 2GB of full-speed data; the $60 plan allows 5GB of full-speed data and the $70 plan offers 10GB of full-speed data.

Muve Music will not be available at launch on the LG Optimus Regard or the Samsung Galaxy S III.  Muve Music is expected be available on the LG Optimus Regard and Samsung Galaxy S III in December via over-the-air download.

About Leap

Leap provides innovative, high-value wireless services to a young and ethnically diverse customer base. With the value of unlimited wireless services as the foundation of its business, Leap pioneered its Cricket service. Cricket products and services are available nationwide through company-owned stores, dealers, national retailers and at MyCricket.com.  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.

SOURCE Leap Wireless International, Inc.