Virtual mobile companies: It's all about the voice

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.