You are here: silicon.com > Networks > Mobile & Wireless

Mobile & Wireless

Virtual mobile companies: It's all about the voice

Content? MVNO way

Tags: mvno, mobile virtual network operators

By Jo Best

Published: 17 January 2007 14:25 GMT

Despite some notable hiccups and early exits in the market, subscribers to mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) are set to follow an upward tangent in the coming years - if operators keep selling voice services.

A report from Juniper Research predicts the number of customers getting their mobile access from MVNOs will grow to 352 million in 2012, up from 93 million last year.

Revenue from users will also shoot up accordingly - from $15bn in 2006 to $67bn in 2012.

MVNOs in the UK have had a chequered history. The biggest and best known, Virgin Mobile, was bought by NTL:Telewest for £962m last year; Stelios' no-frills MVNO easyMobile shut up shop in November; and Disney shelved its plans for a kid-targeting operator.

While some have speculated the future of MVNOs will be content-based, Juniper's report predicts that most revenue will still be voice-based - $42bn of the $67bn earned in 2012 will come from voice services. One of highest profile content-focused MVNOs, US-based Mobile ESPN, closed down after less than a year in business, after failing to attract a significant number of subscribers.

Voice-based MVNOs will need to work on their retail presence and brand to be successful, the report said, adding that voice-focused MVNOs would do well to partner with data-centric ones to give the best deal to consumers.

  1. Zones
  2. Management
  3. Networks
  4. Software
  5. IT Services
  6. Hardware
  1. Verticals
  2. Public Sector
  3. Financial Services
  4. Retail & Leisure

Read and write about internet access at the airports of the world at atlarge.com.

Natasha Lomas Exclusive: Jimmy Wales on what's next for Wikipedia Why Wikipedia needs geeks and why a life unplugged is unthinkable

Peter Cochrane Peter Cochrane's Blog: United breaks guitars? Customer service has changed forever


  • Jobs
Regional Sales Manager

Regional Sales Manager Telecoms / Mobile Network Operator 45-57k Basic; OTE 90-100k Car / Car allowance plus corporate benefits North Central / North ...

Handset/Mobile Phone Sales To EMEA Network Operators Manager/Director

My client is looking for a mobile phone sales person to create and manage channel sales in to the major mobile phone network operators across the ...

Senior J2EE Developer

AdaptiveMobile is the leading mobile security provider of unified customer protection for enterprises and individuals with over 95 million ...

Agenda Setters 2009
Welcome to the ninth annual Agenda Setters poll – silicon.com's list of the top 50 most influential individuals in the technology and IT industries, from techies and CIOs to entrepreneurs and business leaders. Find out more in our latest special report.





Quick Sitemap Links: