In an announcement that substantiated the rumors about RadioShack going wireless, the electronics retailer launched the RadioShack No-Contract Wireless - a wireless service under its own brand – on Tuesday.

The no-contract wireless plan has been launched by RadioShack in partnership with Leap Wireless International, whose Cricket Communications network already offers cut-rate prepaid phone plans in the US.

Announcing the launch of the RadioShack No-Contract Wireless, the Fort Worth-based retailer revealed that the no-contract RadioShack-branded handsets will be available at the RadioShack stores across the US from Wednesday, September 5.

Initially, RadioShack and Cricket Communications will offer two models of the no-contract RadioShack-branded cellphones --- a $40-priced feature phone basically for making calls and sending text messages; and a $150-priced smartphone running Android OS version 2.3 ‘Gingerbread.’

For the feature phone, prepaid plans using the Cricket network will cost $25 or $35 per month; and, for the Android-based smartphone, these plans will cost $50 or $60 a month.

With the launch of the RadioShack No-Contract Wireless marking the retailer’s advance into the highly-competitive mobile-phone arena, Allen McClard – VP of RadioShack mobility – said that “mobility is about choices at RadioShack," and added that the company’s new no-contract wireless is "part of our promise to continue to evolve in the wireless space” to meet the needs of mobile-phone users.