Cricket Targets Executives for Pitching ?Second? Cells

Cricket Communications, a subsidiary of Leap Wireless International Inc. of San Diego, Calif., hopes to sell its $30 local wireless service to executives with families that need a second cell phone.

The company began offering service in Northwest Arkansas on July 24, after announcing on July 10 that its extended calling area service would now reach from Fort Smith to Bella Vista.

All local calls are included in Cricket’s flat rate, and all calls in the ECA area may be added for an additional $10 per month. Additional long distance calls may be made from Cricket cell phones, but they must be prepaid. The phones start at $100.

Mangan Holcomb Rainwater Culpepper of Little Rock is handling the firm’s Arkansas marketing efforts. Cricket’s target consumers are active moms, seniors and students in the 18- to 55-year-old demographic.

“Busy executives and business travelers probably already have a cell phone,” said Sharon Tallach Vogelpohl, a vice president and director of public relations at Mangan Holcomb.

“But what about the rest of their family? Cricket is like a super cordless phone for the spouse that’s going to be shopping and driving all over the area. It’s also perfect for college kids at the University [of Arkansas]. This way, you can prepay the amount of long distance you want them to have, and you don’t have to worry about them running up phone bills.”

Vogelpohl said Cricket plans to keep its service inexpensive by aiming for the 70 percent of the market that’s still unserved by wireless providers. Cricket wouldn’t release its early sales numbers, but market manager Donna Casey said the product has been well received.

Cricket is going head-to-head with Alltel Corp. of Little Rock and SunCom Wireless to compete for cell customers in Arkansas.