Cricket wireless store open in Eastgate Plaza

SALEM -- The new Cricket wireless service provider said if people still don't own a cell phone or are not a smartphone user, they can come into the new Salem store and be in business for as little as $76.

That, according to store manager Dinesh Acharya, will provide talk and text with unlimited calls and texts, but with no data access.

"That's phone, SIM card (subscriber identification module) and network," he said.

It keeps things simple.

The new store officially opened on Friday and is located at 2329 E. State St. in the Eastgate Plaza.

Cricket had "a contract for awhile and were waiting for them to get is built," said District Manager Shenallia Gay in referring to the showroom inside the brand new building, just west of the Giant Eagle store.

"A lot of people go to East Liverpool for their service, but we put one here for them," she explained.

Jennifer Mansfield, a Youngstown resident who was born and spent a number of years in Salem, said, "We're here to save people a lot of money on their cell phones."

She is a sale representative for Cricket.

The store, which has three full-time employees, sells five brands and offers 20 different phones, Gay said, noting Samsung, LG, Alcatel, 2GTE and the Iphone are the featured brands.

Mansfield said customers who switch phones "get either a free phone or save $50." Acharya said transferring information takes about 10 to 20 minutes.

"We need the account number and PIN number … it makes our life a whole lot easier," he said, "but we can help them figure out the PIN and account number with the phone number."

They can be "in and out in 10 to 20 minutes," he said.

Cricket offers phone accessories and is featuring DTV now and all apps.

"We'll help to do that," Acharya said, noting that AT&T and Cricket are the only two selling DTV.

He said Cricket offers "a better network, a very good affordable plan, no contract, great phone deals … and we have more 4GLTE than T-Mobile, Sprint and MetroPCS."

Acharya said Cricket will take phones in trade "if in good condition."

Mansfield said once a customer is locked in with an introductory rate it stays that way.

For example Cricket is promoting a "4 for $100" program that will stay that way.

Acharya said Cricket also has free coverage for Canada and Mexico included in the "Unlimited 2" plan that begins at $55 per a month.

"With other service providers you're locked in a contract for a time and can only upgrade. With us, you're not locked in."

The low-cost GTE Overture starts as low as $76 for the phone, activation fee, phone number and one month of service.

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

For more information, call 234-320-2817 or visit www.cricketwireless.com or www.facebook.com/cricketnation.

lshields@salemnews.net