How do we decide which feature phones, smartphones and broadband devices are worthy of the Cricket brand? We ask our customers. We talk to them in our stores, we volunteer with them in our communities, and we conduct surveys after we launch new devices. We ask them what they like about their phones, what they’re looking for in their next devices, and what features or capabilities would add value to their daily lives. We use these insights to continually evolve our device portfolio, in order to reflect our customers’ changing needs as they move through life.
This feedback shapes Cricket’s device offerings. While our customers are looking for great value, they also have distinct preferences. Some are purchasing their first wireless phone, and are looking for basic service, durable, and intuitive functionality. Others are looking for sophisticated 3G smartphones with social media capability to help them stay in touch with friends and family or Muve Music devices that come with unlimited access to music downloads. Data indicates that listening to what our customers’ desire in a handset is paying off because today approximately 50% of our new handset sales are for these exciting 3G smart devices.
We strive to provide high quality, yet affordable devices to customers on any type of budget. We accomplish this by utilizing a global device platform. We’ve established strategic partnerships with international original equipment manufacturers that develop quality products at industry-leading prices. We opted to partner with global manufacturers because they are able to offer us economies of scale on products with proven success rates. In many cases these products also had the exclusivity factor of not being available through other providers in the United States. We’re able to leverage economies of scale, because we’re not commissioning products to be developed exclusively for Cricket. And we’re offering customers stable platforms and products that are top sellers in other regions around the world.
The Huawei Ascend is a perfect example of our device strategy in action. After its 2009 launch in markets around the globe established it as a best-seller, Cricket became the first wireless carrier to offer the Ascend in the United States. With a proven legacy, proven quality and a very competitive price, this full-touch Android device offers user-friendly open access functionality, at one of the lowest smartphone price points in the wireless industry. Cricket sold over 1 million Ascend devices in the product's lifecycle which paved the road for the follow-up device, the Huawei Ascend II.
In addition to utilizing this global strategy we stay focused on customer life cycle. We identify price-competitive, durable devices from their existing lineups with the form factors and functionality that are the best fit for our Cricket customers. We review upcoming features, and use our knowledge of customer preferences to choose what we will incorporate into our device offerings. Rather than rushing to be the first to roll out a new device or operating platform, Cricket adopts a ‘fast follower’ approach. It’s more important to us to launch something that is affordable, well designed and user-friendly than to be first.
It’s about offering customers the same kinds of choices, brands, and operating systems that they’d have at a contract carrier – except Cricket’s are available at affordable prices, with affordable service plans, and no contracts.
We offer a variety of device functionality and pricing options, everything from feature phones to smartphones, and everything in between – including camera phones, music phones, QWERTY keyboards, flip phones, touchscreen and refurbished phones. Cricket is building a portfolio with a broad range of form factors and price points, for customers on all types of budgets.
We offer a selection of devices to support our Cricket Broadband service, along with tiered data service plans that reflect our customers’ budgets and browsing needs. Our broadband devices include low-cost, high-quality USB sticks and USB modems. For customers seeking added convenience, versatility and value, Cricket offers the Crosswave™, a mobile WiFi hot spot that can connect with up to three devices at the same time.
We offer a selection of feature and smartphones optimized for a superior Muve Music experience. The Samsung Vitality is Cricket's first Muve Music enabled Android smartphone. Operating on the Android 2.3 Gingerbread platform powered by an 800MHz processor, the fast and affordable Samsung Vitality is easy to use and is it a perfect choice for any smartphone user. The Samsung Suede is Cricket’s first device enabled with unlimited talk, text and music. This music-centric feature phone sports a touch screen, memory card slot, standard 3.5mm audio jack, and stereo Bluetooth.
