Cricket starts selling the prepaid iPhone 4S

Starting June 22nd for the first time, customers were able to line up to buy a prepaid iPhone 4S at regional wireless service provider Cricket. It doesn’t come cheap, but for people who have longed for so long to have an iPhone that’s prepaid and without a contract, it’s a dream come true.

Cricket sells the prepaid, off-contract 16GB iPhone 4S and 8GB iPhone 4 for $499.99 and $399.99 respectively. It’s pricey, but less than the $649.99 AT&T and Verizon Wireless charge to get an iPhone without a contract using their networks. You’ll also have to get Cricket’s $55 monthly plan, which includes unlimited talking and texting plus 2.3GB of data. Passing the 2.3GB cap results in slowed data speeds. Since Cricket runs on Sprint’s 3G network, which tests as the slowest out of the four major nationwide carriers, we’re talking some seriously sluggish web browsing once you get to the throttling point.

Similar to Apple stores and larger carriers on launch days, Cricket did report that it experienced lines outside some retail locations before stores opened. Loyal customers didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to get a prepaid iPhone. A spokesperson for Cricket said the iPhone was available at select dealers and company-owned locations and that customers proved to be “brisk.”

If you already own an iPhone and would like to bring it with you to Cricket to start living the prepaid life, you’re out of luck because you have to buy the device from Cricket. If that’s not an obstacle, you can get started shopping on Cricket’s website.

[via CNET]