Orange says now everyone can be their own MVNO

Example of a stagnant market

Classic example of a stagnant market - companies no longer compete on innovation. They compete on branding and labelling and utilise customer confusion to improve margins instead.

Sad... And fast approaching an E.L.E... Extinction Level Event...

Nothing new here, move along now.

I don't think this is a particularly new model. Companies like Martin Dawes have been offering this for a while.

As the article points out, there are several levels of MVNO -- Virgin do pretty much everything above the network -- own CRM systems, IVRs etc.; while others do simply 'rebrand'.

I think there is mileage in the MVNO idea though -- it just has to be done well. Where an organisation is already trusted, they can bring a lot of good will to the offering -- this is where Blyk failed (innovative offering, no one had heard of them), but Tesco succeed (fairly standard offering, but a brand people -- rightly or wrongly -- trust). MVNOs can bring in other factors too -- cross selling into their normal business (Sainsbury's giving double Nectar points if you top-up your Sainsbury's mobile at a Sainsbury's shop is a good example -- gets you into the shop, you might buy a few veg!).

On the other hand, there's no point in slapping any old brand on top of a completely undifferentiated service. What are you offering consumers/businesses that no-one else can?

So, that's the key (and you can have this consultancy magic for free): come in with a well known and trusted brand, and offer something unique to you, that no-one else can easily copy.

I'll drink to that.

Why?

And will all these Hydra-like proliferating MVNOs be charging 'call termination fees' to users of each and every other MVNO that gets spawned? Even though they're all being carried on Orange's common infrastructure?

You (who have signed up with Witley Scrotum Village Post-Office Mobile] get stung for a £0.15 connection fee when you call your auntie [who's with Upper Duck's Bottom Church-hall Mobile].

That's the only way I can see for them to monetize such a profligate replication-of-effort.

Wiki...

It does now! (not that I'm taking credit for it)

Come on, you know what happens when you mention something not being on Wikipedia in an El Reg article...

A is for Asda, Bis for BT, C is for ...

MVNO/A's unique is their tariff card. Given they must all pay a similar amount to the real operator this is just a rejuggling to appeal to their particular market profile.

The trouble is I have one SIM for cheapest landline calls, another for mobile calls, another for SMS and two for different internet offerings. All with a mobile/dongle to match. which means every morning I have to judge what pattern of mobile usage I am likely to make that day and select the appropriate devices from drawer. Replaces the decision I used to make on cufflinks and ties.

The advantage is everyone else in clueless on how to get hold of me ...

MVNO

Back in the (good?) old days, Cellnet and Racal had to bundle packages and sell them through Service Providers. You couldn't get direct airtime.

Perhaps in the future there will only be MVNOs. Each MVNO will bulk buy airtime from the networks on a monthly/quarterly basis, getting the best deal they can at the time. In theory, why does it matter which network your MVNO buys from, since in theory every phone works on every network (isn't that the idea of a standard).

OK, before the flames start, not all networks are equal. But presumably market forces will level the playingfield! :)