Leap Wireless, a wireless communications carrier, announced that it added around 175,000 customers in the last financial quarter of 2011. Net customer additions for the fourth quarter stood at 200,000 voice customers, and 413,000 for the year as a whole, making an total installed customer base of 5.9 million customers. Leap Wireless is expecting a customer churn in the fourth quarter of around 3.8%.

Doug Hutcheson, Leap Wireless' CEO stated that the business showed progress in the quarter with strong smartphone uptake, adoption of the Muve Music service and the expansion of its national retail distribution network.

Leap Wireless offers digital wireless services in the US under the Cricket brand, offering customers unlimited wireless services for a flat rate, without needing a fixed-term contract or a credit check.

The US mobile network market is highly competitive. US mobile carriers are worried about bandwidth capacity and network coverage. Tier one carriers are labelling current LTE and mobile WiMAX as 4G technology, regardless of actual capabilities. Given the difference, most mobile handsets on tier one networks are likely to remin 3G devices.

North American Next Generation Wireless Networks Market
http://www.companiesandmarkets.com/Market-Report/north-american-next-generation-wireless-networks-market-612343.asp