An ultrawide tuning range from $1160\text{to}1620\mathrm{nm}$ for $\mathrm{Li}\mathrm{In}\mathrm{Si}{\mathrm{O}}_4$ and from $1150\text{to}1600\mathrm{nm}$ for $\mathrm{Li}\mathrm{In}\mathrm{Ge}{\mathrm{O}}_4$ crystals has been demonstrated. This is the widest bandwidth and the most near-infrared shifted wavelength range for laser operation ever demonstrated for the ${\mathrm{Cr}}^{3+}$ ion. For what is believed to be the first time tunable laser operation was achieved for both the 1.33 and $1.55\mu \mathrm{m}$ telecommunication windows from a single optical center.