MVNO
A mobile operator that resells service over another carrier physical network.
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A mobile operator that resells service over another carrier physical network.
A Mobile Virtual Network Operator sells mobile service under its own brand while running on radio infrastructure owned by someone else. It has customers, pricing, and SIM cards, but no spectrum or towers of its own.
MVNOs are common in prepaid and budget segments. Many well-known consumer brands are MVNOs riding on one of the major networks, which is why coverage maps for an MVNO match its host network exactly.
In carrier lookup results, MVNOs can be surprising. Depending on the data source, a number may report as the MVNO brand or as the underlying host network, so a carrier name that looks unfamiliar is often an MVNO rather than an error.
Related terms
- Carrier lookup — Querying network data to find which carrier currently serves a phone number.
- HLR lookup — A query against a mobile network Home Location Register to check whether a number is active and reachable.
- Number portability — The ability to keep a phone number when switching from one carrier to another.