Will Apple Become an MVNO?

There are more than a thousand mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) in operation globally, as of May 2012, according to Wireless Intelligence.


MVNOs are most prevalent in mature markets where market penetration has surpassed 100 percent, and has been especially prevalent in Europe.


Europe, in fact, has about 66 percent of all MVNOs. The Asia-Pacific region has 125 MVNOs while North America has 90 MVNOs. 


One has to wonder what the situation will be in another decade, when it is conceivable many application providers might have launched new types of MVNOs, perhaps based solely on mobile broadband, perhaps tightly integrated with devices and possibly using different revenue models.


The nearly-continual speculation about whether firms such as Apple, or Google or Amazon might someday want to launch their own MVNO services are examples of that sort of thinking. 

Apple's next big move will be to provide wireless service directly to its iPad and iPhone customers, according to veteran wireless industry strategist Whitey  Bluestein, who argues the business model will be different. 


As would be the case for other application or device manufacturers, the service would be part of a business model that relies on revenues from sales of content, other products, advertising or commerce.