Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO)

A Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) is a company that does not own a mobile spectrum license but sells mobile services under its brand name using the network of a licensed mobile operator. The term is applied to a variety of arrangements with a mobile network operator. At one end are companies offering mobile services under a particular brand, with their own marketing and tariff structure, usually through a sophisticated CRM system. At the other end are companies with their own core network infrastructures, issuing their own SIM cards and controlling elements of network infrastructure such as the HLR and MSC, in addition to their own products.