MVNO
Mobile virtual network operator: a brand that buys wholesale network access and sells subscriptions without owning spectrum.
Definitions only — a term explained here is not a service we sell.
A mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) buys wholesale access from a host network and owns the customer relationship and the service layer. The host keeps the spectrum and the radio.
Launching one means coverage, profiles, testing, billing, tax and support. A wholesale agreement, an identity range, and SIM or eSIM production come before marketing, along with regulatory notification where the market requires it. Wholesale commitments, minimum volumes and currency movement decide whether the model works, so set credit limits and usage alerts early. Per-market rules on permanent roaming and subscriber registration can require a different identity and a different contract.
Full, light and thin
A full MVNO runs its own core, IMSI range and interconnect and buys only radio access. A light MVNO buys core and managed platforms and runs brand, distribution and care. A thin reseller buys a finished service and adds little beyond marketing. The full model gives commercial and roadmap control but needs engineering; the thin model is fast but leaves commercial terms and differentiation to the host. The MNO keeps the radio.
Where an MVNO sits
- Spectrum
- MNO
- Mobile core
- MVNO platform
- Brand / MVNO
Text description
The sequence runs from spectrum through the MNO and mobile core to the MVNO platform and the brand layer. The MVNO operates at the brand layer.