Mobile virtual network operator

With European markets newly open to competition and new technology enabling better service and cheaper handsets, there was a massive surge in demand for cellular phones.

[6] Sense was able to establish an MVNO agreement with Sonera in Finland, but it failed to persuade MNOs in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.

[7] Sense then appealed to EU regulators, citing provisions that required certain MNOs to allow new entrants interconnection.

While Sense's claim was denied, in November 1999, the company signed a service provider agreement with Telia/Telenor Mobile for GSM network capacity access, allowing Sense to offer services to its own customers in Sweden and Norway.

[8] Despite Sense's initial failure, the regulator in Denmark saw the promise in the MVNO model as a cost-effective route for telecom companies to enter the market and in May 2000, legislation passed that required network operators with significant market power to open up access to their infrastructure.

This agreement provided Tele2 with access to SONOFON's network for both mobile and roaming services, the latter of which had been requested by (and denied to) Sense Communications.

[11] MVNOs are distinguished by their commitment to owning and managing the operational components of the MVNO business model,[12] consisting of: Because MVNOs are effectively defined by their lack of spectrum licenses, an MVNO necessarily will need to have agreements in place to access the network of at least one MNO.

The Reseller MVNO, possesses no core elements and only holds the means that ensure the contact and relationship with the customers.

The Thin MVNO, provides its own brand and is normally responsible for the customer support, billing processes, tariffs, bundles and promotion packages, costs of marketing, sales and distribution, as well as the OPEX and CAPEX associated with these.

The move came not necessarily to compete in the telecommunications market, but to offer a greater value to customers of the banking division.

[23] At the end of year 2022, there were 1,986 active MVNOs globally, more than double the amount of traditional telecom network operators.

Europe lead in terms of most active MVNOs in operation with 1,012, representing half of the total global MVNO market.

In 2003, the European Commission issued a recommendation to national telecom regulators to examine the competitiveness of the market for wholesale access and call origination on public mobile telephone networks.

[37] As of December 2018, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) had issued 58 MVNO licenses in Thailand, a total of nine have launched, four remain active.

[39] VNOs have formed an association to represent current regulatory issues impacting their MVNO business viability.