Leap Participates in Industry-Wide Effort to Raise Funds for the Victims of Hurricane Katrina; Leap Urges Its Cricket® Customers to Donate to the American Red Cross Via Their Mobile Phone

Business Wire, Sept 8, 2005

SAN DIEGO -- Company Also Distributing Free Handsets to Victims and Holding Employee Fundraising Effort Matching up to $100,000

Leap Wireless International, Inc. (NASDAQ:LEAP), a leading provider of innovative and value-driven wireless communications services, today announced that it is encouraging its Cricket customers across the country to support the victims of Hurricane Katrina by wirelessly text messaging donations to the Hurricane Katrina Wireless Relief Fund, with the entire amount of their donations being forwarded to the American Red Cross for the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

Through the Text 2HELP campaign, Leap's Cricket customers can text "Give" and upon receiving a confirmation message they type "Y" or "Yes," then $5 per message will be debited from the customer's prepaid account. The Text 2HELP campaign, which is part of an industry-wide initiative, will continue through October 31, 2005.

"With the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina causing mass devastation throughout the entire Gulf Coast, we are pleased to participate in the Text2HELP campaign, which makes it easy for our Cricket customers to donate to the American Red Cross," said Doug Hutcheson, president and CEO of Leap. "We encourage our customers to participate in this effort and thank them in advance for their donations to this important fund for helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina."

Leap is also holding a nationwide Company fundraiser and will match up to $100,000 of employee donations. Additionally, the Company is developing plans to distribute thousands of free Cricket handsets with local and long distance service to community centers that are housing evacuees in the markets it serves.

"We're trying to do whatever we can to make the lives of those affected by this tragedy a little easier by raising funds and giving away handsets and free phone service," said Hutcheson. "We hope our effort will help them connect with friends and family in this time of need."

About Leap

Leap, headquartered in San Diego, Calif., is a customer-focused company providing innovative mobile wireless services that are targeted to meet the needs of customers who are under-served by traditional communications companies. With a commitment to predictability, simplicity and value as the foundation of our business, Leap pioneered Cricket(R) service, a simple and affordable wireless alternative to traditional landline service. Cricket service offers customers unlimited anytime minutes within the Cricket calling area over a high-quality, all-digital CDMA network. For more information, please visit www.leapwireless.com.

Leap and the Leap logo design are registered trademarks of Leap Wireless International, Inc. Cricket is a registered trademark of Cricket Communications, Inc. Cricket Unlimited Access, Cricket Unlimited Plus, Cricket Unlimited Classic, Jump, Travel Time, Cricket Clicks and the Cricket K are trademarks of Cricket Communications, Inc.