The Rise of the Super MVNO report published earlier this year by Mobilise Consulting contained a few figures about the MVNO category of global connectivity service providers that we found interesting:
- 2018: ~1500 MVNOs in operation
- 2025: growing to ~2000
- Global MVNO market currently valued at US$62.5 bn and forecast to increase to >US$100 bn by 2025.
The report says that “Although there is no universally agreed set of definitions, the MVNO Market is usually categorised into four models:
- Branded Reseller - The report doesn’t define these but our interpretation is of MVNOs acting as a sales channel for existing MNO branded products.
- Service Provider (SP) or airtime reseller: MVNO does not control any network element and makes use of the SIM cards of the MNO.
- Enhanced Service Provider (ESP): MVNO resells the services of the MNO and provides additional own services. They do not issue their own SIM cards, although they may re-brand the MNO’s SIM cards.
- Full Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO): The MVNO operates a physical network infrastructure comprising of, at a minimum, a Mobile Switching Centre (MSC), a Home Location Register (HLR) and authentication centre (AUC). A full MVNO has its own International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) code, its own Network Code (MNC), issues its own SIM cards and offers its own services to end users”.
The evolving MVNO model
The Rise of the Super MVNO report says that all MVNOs, no matter which category they fall into “have a common underlying premise, in that they all rely on “Segmentation” to target a specific group of customers as their USP. Historically, eight key customer segments have driven the growth in MVNO players across the world:
- Discount
- Specialist data
- Retail
- Ethnic
- Business
- International/ roaming
- Youth/ media
- Bundled
Telecom26 as both MNO and MVNO
Whilst Telecom26 doesn’t quite fit into any of the four MVNO categories above, we are clear in our role as a global connectivity service provider providing international connectivity and roaming services.
We operate as both a maritime MNO and a full global MVNO for terrestrial coverage.
However, unlike most MVNOs, we do have a number of USPs which enable us to offer a service that matches, and indeed in most cases, surpasses the offering of the big brand MNOs. Put simply, these are that we:
- Own and manage our own core network which provides us with independence from other MNOs, vital to ensure the highest level of security and data integrity.
- Have 350+ direct inbound roaming agreements which enable subscribers to roam onto both our maritime and private networks ensuring reliable full global coverage.
- Provide our customers with access to 1100 cellular networks from over 620 mobile operators in 220 countries
- Can customise our offering, and build routing profiles for each customer according to their needs and budget. For example, for organisations that are more price sensitive we can ensure that they automatically connect to the cheapest service in the area, rarely access expensive satellite links - and make the most of wifi for data-heavy up and downloads.
You can read more about how we built our Global Roaming Service in this earlier blog: Global Roaming - ensuring your team are always connected wherever they are in the world.
Connectivity Challenges
In last week’s blog we discussed the responses to this question posed during the annual NetHope Global Summit:
What has been your biggest connectivity challenge in 2020?
The answers centred around poor network performance, lack of transparency and technical support from the network provider - and the difficulty of managing different providers across multiple regions and sites.
These replies were quite striking to the team at Telecom26 as these kind of problems are not ones that our customers encounter. Ever.
Unhappy with your service provider? MVNOs as global connectivity service providers
Put simply, if service providers can’t - or won’t - provide the level of customer service and technical support needed then, most likely, there will be an MVNO snapping at their heels, hungry for your business and with a nimble with a can-do attitude.
And, if managing different network providers is a problem then what you need is a global connectivity service provider…like Telecom26, for example!
For our customers, our roaming service and global SIM cards, means that, as well as seamless global connectivity which connects them to the best available network wherever they are in the world, they have just one mobile phone contract with one bill, one point of contact and one set of SLAs.
We offer a full range of connectivity options including 5G, LTE, WiFi, private networks, 2G, 3G and 4G, as well as offshore connectivity capabilities.
So please Get in touch to find out how Telecom26’s MVNO and global connectivity services can help keep your team connected, wherever they are in the world.
