Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Market Size

Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Market Analysis

The Mobile Virtual Network Operator Market size is estimated at USD 70.59 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 97.87 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 6.75% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

New Technology enablers, like e-Sim, AI, ML, and edge computing, are creating new opportunities for MVNOs.

• The growing penetration of mobile devices is driving the market's growth. GSMA predicted that by the end of 2021, 5.3 billion individuals had subscribed to mobile services, accounting for 67% of the global population. Most people now own a mobile phone in increasing markets, implying that future growth will come from younger populations taking out their first mobile subscription. Over the next five years, an additional 400 million new mobile users are anticipated to be added, most of whom will be from the Asia-Pacific and Sub-Saharan Africa, bringing the total number of subscribers to 5.7 billion (70% of the global population).
• Furthermore, mobile technology and services generated USD 4.5 trillion in economic value added, or 5% of global GDP in 2021. This value is expected to more than double by 2025, reaching approximately USD 5 trillion, as countries benefit from higher productivity and efficiency brought about by the growing use of mobile services.
• As per GSMA, India is on its way to becoming the second-largest smartphone market globally by 2025, with around 1 billion installed devices. It is expected to have 920 million unique mobile subscribers by 2025, including 88 million 5G connections.
• Further, the leading companies in the market are indulging in partnerships to offer their innovative products in different markets to gain more market presence. For instance, in June 2022, Plan.com launched its second mobile network on its connectivity platform via its Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) agreement with BT Wholesale. The company has expertise in providing innovative connectivity and productivity solutions to businesses across the United Kingdom through my.plan. The deal with BT Wholesale gives customers a choice, flexibility, and access to a second mobile network to take advantage of EE's connectivity.
• The increasing number of services such as cloud, Machine to Machine (M2M) transactions, and mobile money are further expected to augment demand for mobile virtual network operators over the forecast period.
• Retail MVNO subscriptions may provide users with grocery discounts and loyalty card perks or may help the retailer better target its customer base. An example of a retail MVNO is Asda Supermarket's Asda Mobile.
• In June 2022, Reach Mobile announced that it had extended its strategic, turnkey Wholesale-as-a-Service (WaaS) agreement with T-Mobile, America's 5G leader, with the most prominent, fastest, and most reliable nationwide 5G network. The companies would use ReachNEXT, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform that accelerates and streamlines how businesses bring network-based services to market. T-Mobile wholesale customers can utilize ReachNEXT, a one-stop shop for launching and operating use cases such as MVNO, Fixed Wireless Access, Failover Internet, and IOT, with unprecedented simplicity and speed, potentially reaching millions of homes. The announcement also extends a multi-year MVNO agreement through which T-Mobile would continue to serve as the network for Reach Mobile's nationwide subscribers.
• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the demand for agile and flexible work styles and further pushed the adoption of communication services that enhance work-life balance. Moreover, telecom regulators had postponed their plans for a 5G spectrum auction amid the global pandemic. The pandemic forced telecom operators worldwide to test their network resiliency and revisit their planned investments, especially in 5G technology.