At 1/28/2011 10:46 AM, Scottie Arnett wrote:
Thanks Chuck, I had to Google that one. Has anyone ever done this?
What is required to become a MVNO? Is there a difference in just
offering data? Do you have to be a CLEC? Ah, so many questions...
I could get some customers with this. I have turned prospective
customers to these companies before that I could not service and
they could not get DSL.
There are two ways to have a wholesale (not dealer) relationship with
the CMRS carrier. MVNO is more common, where you lease the network
wholesale (by the account, minute, etc.) and sell it as your
own. Tracfone, Credo and various other MVNOs operate in the US,
though I think it's a bigger business in Europe. Sprint is probably
the most receptive to it; while ATTM and VZW have some MVNO deals,
they are more interested in having their own retail customers.
The other arrangement is to have your own rural cellular system and
franchise it as part of the big carrier's network. This isn't too
common, but Verizon Wireless wants the widest LTE coverage they can
get, and since they'd rather concentrate their own resources in top
markets, they'll allow third parties to build networks in some rural
areas and operate them as part of VZW. Obviously the two companies
would have to settle on financial arrangements; the smaller company
would presumably be putting up the capital and essentially letting
VZW be an MVNO on its network. A WISP with a decent tower footprint
and the capital to build an LTE network might find that attractive.
--
Fred Goldstein k1io fgoldstein "at" ionary.com
ionary Consulting http://www.ionary.com/
+1 617 795 2701
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