From ISP to MVNO: A Global Perspective Converges Together
Over the past year, I’ve spoken with dozens of Internet Service Providers across North & South America and Africa. Some of those conversations happened in person, others during tradeshows or direct meetings. Nearly every time, the topic eventually shifts in the same direction “How do we become...
The Great Data Dump Distraction and the real opportunity for customer-centric brands
If there is one thing the telco industry has mastered, it is the art of perception. In a world where bigger often feels better, mobile plans boasting enormous data allowances have become the latest ploy mobile network operators are pulling from their increasingly sparse bag of tricks. Eye-watering...
Network APIs, a new revenue stream
According to Anatel data, in January 2025, Brazil had: 📱 263.3 million mobile phone accesses.💻 51.9 million fixed broadband accesses.☎️ 22.1 million fixed telephone accesses.📺 9.0 million pay-TV accesses. Additionally, according to the 2022 demographic census, there were just over 203 million...
MVNOs + MWC: A Missed Opportunity. Again?!?
Now that the Mobile World Congress 2025 is drawn to its frantic end and its 3rd Annual MVNO Summit has been concluded a question lingers: “How did the GSMA manage to, once again, hit the mark, and yet, miss the point entirely?” While the GSMA presented a seemingly targeted agenda, there is still a...
The Industries That Most Need IoT Don’t Know It
The biggest challenge in IoT isn't technology – it's marketing The Internet of Things (IoT) isn’t some far-off concept – it’s here, quietly transforming industries and reshaping how businesses operate. But it’s happening slowly. Almost invisibly. From smart cities slashing energy waste in street...
US MVNO Market Insights Lessons Learned from Meeting 30+ MVNOs in 2024
Last year, I had the opportunity to meet face-to-face with over 30 MVNOs operating in the United States. These insightful discussions provided a ground-level view of the market's current state, the challenges MVNOs face, and the strategies they're employing to thrive. For C-suite executives...
Differentiation in IoT Connectivity Among Fierce Competition
Examining the market for leading IoT CSPs (Connectivity Service Providers) within the domains of CMP (Connectivity Management Platforms) and eSIM capabilities, it is immediately evident that some real innovation is being brought to market in response to the growing maturity and complexity of...
MVNO + MWC → In Search of Innovation
1. A Bit of History More than 101,000 visitors are expected (although the way visitor numbers are counted is a topic worth discussing), which matches the attendance recorded in 2024. If we take a brief look at history and examine the statistics, we can see that the peak attendance was reached...
eSIM Journey: Advancing Telecom Connectivity
Introduction Remote provisioning technologies have been changing the way we connect and link devices to cellular networks. The need for space efficiency, reduced energy consumption, enhanced environmental sustainability, global connectivity for IoT and other factors have driven the industry from...
Establishing a Culture of High Performance as an MVNO
Whether you’ve been an MVNO for ten years or for ten days, if it’s long-term success you’re after, complacency should be your number one enemy. What does complacency look like for an MVNO? It looks like retail plans that haven’t changed in a few years, the use of legacy technology that’s “working”...
Measuring, learning and keeping up with AI
Article 3 from the Series: Winning in the data economy Topics covered: The MVNO as an AI first business Measuring success (and failure) The importance of Experimentation Cultural change: From Knowing to Learning Conclusion More than ever the DNA of businesses is being scrutinised. In the AI era...
Six (6) less common questions to ask your MVNE
With the rise in popularity of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), and subsequently, the amount of capital coming into the telecom industry, let’s talk about what to look for when choosing a Mobile Virtual Network Enabler (MVNE). Today you will hear terms such as “MVNO-in-a-box” or...
Three ways to ensure that MVNOs and MVNEs live happily ever after
Choosing your business partners wisely is critical in any business venture. Perhaps even more so in the MVNO space. More often than not, greenfield MVNOs are bootstrapped and running a lean operation. Every dollar matters and MVNOs need to ensure that the majority of the money is spent on...
Lessons Learned About MVNOs in 2024: Insights from the Frontlines
As a sales director in the US MVNO market, I had the opportunity to engage with approximately 32 potential customers looking to launch MVNOs in 2024. This experience provided valuable insights into the industry's dynamics and challenges. Here's an expanded list of key learnings: 1. The Illusion of...
Network Delayering & Open Gateway: MVNOs in Telecom Transformation
Reflecting on Trends and the Future of Telecom I must begin by admitting that this article wasn’t on my radar as a year-end reflection piece. My mind was deeply engrossed in preparing a proposal for a private mobile network. While researching the state of networks in a specific geographic area for...
The business case for data and AI
Article 2 from the Series: Winning in the data economy Topics covered: 1. Conceptual business case2. The benefits3. The costs and opportunity costs4. Comparing and measuring5. Conclusion Remember the days when every capital project needed a business case and they all claimed they’d save headcount...
Brazilian Market Update for IoT Cellular Connectivity
In recent years, Brazil's cellular connectivity market has witnessed significant transformations, driven largely by the increasing demand for Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. These advancements have not only redefined the landscape for service providers but also opened up new opportunities and...
5 Reasons Why a Great Idea for an MVNO Can Become a Great Big Flop
If every great idea made the amount of money it could be worth, I’d have a lot of very rich friends. (But, in fact, I do not.) As Edison suggested when he said, “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration,” many factors stand between a great idea and a great business. The same is true for an...
Empowering Your Workforce: Upskilling with AI or Bringing in the Experts?
In an age where technology constantly disrupts the norm, Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) are embracing the magic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI (GenAI) to supercharge their operations and wow their customers. These cutting-edge technologies are not just tech buzzwords;...
Embedded connectivity and the future of Customer Loyalty
“If you build it, he will come.” This famous (and often misquoted) line from Field of Dreams may have inspired countless dreamers but in the business world, it has led to more than a few disasters. While it makes for a great movie moment, it’s terrible advice for launching a successful telco...
The data economy: why it matters for MVNOs
Topics covered: Data as a currency. Trends in businesses leveraging data. What does this mean for Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO’s). Conclusion. Introduction It was Zuora (I think!) that first coined the term the subscription economy some 10 years ago. It strikes me though that the message...
Choose your MVNO partners wisely – dos and don’ts.
There is a significant chance that your business relationships will last longer than the average marriage. So, needless to say, choose your partners wisely. A couple of months ago, I wrote the opinion piece “How do you avoid the race towards the bottom as an MVNO?”. The advice I shared is based on...
How travel eSIMs can bring more players into the Connectivity Value Chain
Network operator roaming charges are somewhat infamous for their cost in many countries, and as a result, a large number of travellers go ‘silent.’ Indeed, a recent survey has shown that, across 20 international markets with high volumes of international travel, at least 20% of travellers in these...
Web3 and MVNOs: What can MVNOs learn from Web3 and Crypto?
I have been in Crypto for a long time. It truly is the Finance Wild West that everyone thinks it is. I have made money, lost money, been hacked, felt the FOMO and FUD. I have been a day trader and bag HODL and even been an early whale in new tokens, and it never ended well other than UNIFI (bless...