AWS gains traction as Leap adds RAZR

The hottest-selling handset of all time now comes in a new flavor: AWS. Though the Moto RAZR has seen better days, Motorola is now making a tri-band phone for Leap Wireless’ Cricket Communications service. The companies announced today that the RAZR V3 clamshell handset will support Advanced Wireless Service spectrum as part of its tri-band.

Cricket’s AWS network, launched in Oklahoma City this spring, has been in a head-to-head race with MetroPCS, another new entrant and AWS advocate, which rolled out its Philadelphia network this month. Both are expanding rapidly using the new spectrum, almost doubling the size of their current networks. At launch, Leap had three handsets to speak of – two from Samsung and one from UTStarcom, as well as an UTStarcom EV-DO card. MetroPCS had the same two Samsung handsets highlighting its portfolio as well. The CTIA conference in April also saw the entrance of two new Nokia CDMA handsets that support the AWS and PCS bands. Kyocera debuted its own three phones; UTStarcom added its second and ZTE unveiled two models.

At the conference in April, Leap promised its entire portfolio of handsets would be made available to all markets with AWS dual-band phones in the next 12 to 18 months. Thus far, however, handset makers have remained relatively quiet on the AWS front. Motorola’s RAZR marks the fifth handset named to join the AWS devices supported in Cricket’s portfolio since CTIA.

Cricket, which doesn’t subsidize its handsets, currently sells a non-AWS version of the Razr for $180. Its line of AWS handsets will work in Cricket’s normal PCS coverage area, whereas its regular handsets will not work in the AWS markets.