What is an MVNO?

Dan Howdle • October 25th, 2024

MVNO refers to a mobile provider that doesn't own its own network. It's a term that few outside the mobile phone industry will be familiar with, but here in the UK we have loads of MVNOs – and you’ll almost certainly have heard of at least a couple of them. You may already be a customer of an MVNO and not even know it.

If you want to learn more about MVNOs then you’ve come to the right place. We’ll explain exactly what one is, how they do what they do and examine the reasons why you might want to use one.

What is an MVNO?

MVNO stands for Mobile Virtual Network Operator. Sometimes called virtual networks, MVNOs are companies that offer mobile services but do not own or operate their own network. Instead, they use a network run by a mobile operator. For example, giffgaff is an MVNO – it doesn’t have its own network but instead offers its services using O2’s mobile network.

In the UK, there are four mobile network operators – O2, EE, Three and Vodafone. Each of these not only offers mobile services of its own but also acts as a host network for two or more MVNOs. The MVNOs, or virtual networks, benefit from having the same coverage as their parent network but without the expensive overheads. The savings tend to be passed on, with MVNOs often undercutting their parent networks with cheap mobile deals.

How do MVNOs work?

To understand how MVNOs work, you need to understand how mobile networks work – but don’t worry, we’ll keep it brief. Each of the four UK mobile network operators (O2, EE, Three and Vodafone) owns a certain amount of spectrum – another word for the radio frequencies used to broadcast mobile phone signals. Utilising the bands of spectrum they have paid to have access to, operators broadcast 3G, 4G and 5G signals around the country using a network of masts.

The process of buying spectrum and installing masts is time-consuming and expensive. That’s why MVNOs bypass the whole thing and lease wholesale services (the use of spectrum, masts etc) from one of those big network operators.

Which mobile providers are MVNOs?

There are a lot of MVNOs in the UK – this is one of the reasons our mobile industry is so competitive. Here is a list of both the biggest and best-known ones, along with some smaller ones which you may not have heard of yet. It is far from a complete list, however, since there are many dozens of MVNOs – many for business or specialist usage.

• 1p Mobile – Running on the EE network, 1p Mobile offers cheap pay-as-you-go SIMs
• Anywhere Sim – Offers multi-network SIMs that run on all four UK networks (EE, Three, O2, Vodafone)
• Asda Mobile – The supermarket chain offers cheap SIM deals and runs on the Vodafone network
• giffgaff – One of the UK’s biggest MVNOs, giffgaff runs on the O2 network and has a wide range of flexible mobile deals
• iD Mobile – Carphone Warehouse’s very own network, iD Mobile runs on the Three network
• Lebara Mobile – Lebara offers budget-friendly SIMs and cheap international calls. It runs on Vodafone’s mobile network
• Lycamobile – Another MVNO specialising in cheap international calls, Lyca also offers data top-ups, pay-as-you-go handsets and more. Runs on the O2 network
• Now Mobile – Offers cheap international calls using its pay-as-you-go SIMs. Uses the EE network
• Sky Mobile – Sky Mobile runs on the O2 network and offers deals on iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones and more, plus the ability to store your unused data and use it at a later date
• SMARTY – Owned by Three and operating on Three’s network, SMARTY offers contract-free SIM deals and money back for unused data
• Superdrug Mobile – The highstreet chain offers contract-free SIM-only plans and runs on the Three network
• Tesco Mobile – Tesco runs its mobile service on the O2 network and offers a wide range of mobile deals and SIM plans, offering Clubcard points for paying your bill
• Talk Home Mobile – Uses the EE network and offers no-contract SIM deals and cheap international calls
• Talkmobile – Runs on Vodafone’s network and offers SIM-only deals on both one-month and 12-month contracts
• To The Moon Mobile – Offers flexible pay-as-you-go plans and runs on the EE network
• Your Coop Mobile – A good choice for the ethically-aware consumer, Your Coop Mobile is a provider of Fairphone and runs on the EE network
• Truphone – Truphone offers eSIMs for compatible devices, giving you coverage in 113 countries. In the UK, it uses the Vodafone network
• Utility Warehouse – Offers simple SIM deals with discounts available if you buy multiple SIMs. Runs on the EE network
• VOXI – Vodafone-owned VOXI uses its parent company’s network and offers unlimited data for social media use

Why choose an MVNO?

MVNOs give you the same service as mobile network operators – there is no discernable difference to the consumer in terms of connecting to the network, making phone calls and getting online. The differences between different mobile providers become apparent when you start looking beyond the basics of getting online.

The UK’s four mobile network operators (O2, EE, Three and Vodafone) tend to offer a lot of extras on their mobile deals, whether its tech, subscriptions to streaming services or priority concert tickets. But MVNOs have their own selling points, too. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Cheap mobile deals

As we mentioned earlier, it’s a lot cheaper to run an MVNO than it is to maintain a mobile network. The savings from this are often reflected in the deals that MVNOs are able to offer. As well as offering cheap data deals, Tesco Mobile and iD Mobile offer some of the very cheapest new phone deals around and are always worth a look if you’re in the market for a new handset.

Cheap SIM deals

Some MVNOs don’t offer handsets at all and instead focus on providing very competitive SIM-only deals. Providers like 1p Mobile, Lycamobile and SMARTY offer great value for money if you’re happy with the phone you have or are looking to buy a new handset outright and pick up a cheap data and calls package.

Unlimited social media data

VOXI – an MVNO owned by Vodafone and running on Vodafone’s network – offers endless social media data on its plans as standard.

Cheap international calls

If you’re often making calls to friends and family in other countries, then it’s worth considering getting a SIM from one of a number of MVNOs that specialises in low-cost international calls. Lebara, Lycamobile, Now Mobile and others all do this. Costs to call each country vary from provider to provider, so it’s best to do a quick comparison of the countries you need to call most often.

Multi-network SIMs

MVNOs such as Anywhere SIM roam across multiple networks, reducing the amount of time you spend without a signal. Your phone will find a ‘home’ network and should your signal ever drop out entirely, will automatically scan for another.

Support a cause

There are some MVNOs that allow you to feel good about your ethical choices while using your phone. Your Coop Mobile invests in green energy and works with socially responsible organisations including Fairphone and Fairtrade.

Strong mobile coverage

MVNOs offer real choice because the quality of coverage is the same for customers of MVNOs as it is for customers of the host network operator. So if you have good service on EE, you know you’ll also enjoy strong coverage with any of the MVNOs that operate on the same network.