Mobile network operator: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Cellular service provider}}

A '''mobile phone operator''' (also '''wireless carrier''') is a [[telephone company]] that provides [[GSM services|phone services]] for [[mobile phone]] subscribers.

{{redirect|MNO}}

{{Use American English|date = March 2019}}

A '''mobile network operator''' ('''MNO'''), also known as a '''mobile network provider''', '''mobile network carrier''', '''mobile ''', '''wireless service provider''', '''wireless carrier''', '''wireless operator''', '''wireless telco''', or '''cellular company''',{{Efn|Often shortened to simply ''carrier'' (especially in American English), ''operator'', ''provider'', "telco", or ''network''.}} is a [[telecommunications]] provider of services that sells, delivers and maintains [[mobile telephony]] services to an end user.

== Overview ==

The process of becoming a mobile phone operator within a country usually begins by acquiring a [[radio spectrum]] licence from the Government. The precise spectrum obtained does depend on the type of [[mobile phone]] technology the operator intends to deploy. For example, a [[GSM]] phone will require a [[GSM frequency ranges|GSM frequency]].

A key defining characteristic of a mobile network operator is that it must own or control access to a [[frequency allocation|radio spectrum license]] from a regulatory or government entity, and also that it must own or control the elements of the [[cellular network]] infrastructure necessary to provide services to subscribers over the licensed [[radio spectrum]].<ref>{{Cite web |author=Ivo Vegter |date=4 July 2018 |title=Why a wireless open-access network won't work |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2018-07-04-why-a-wireless-open-access-network-wont-work/#.Wz_ildhKjBI |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410053343/https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2018-07-04-why-a-wireless-open-access-network-wont-work/#.Wz_ildhKjBI |archive-date=2022-04-10 |publisher=Daily Maverick}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=lizs |date=2024-03-04 |title=MNO or MVNO: Which is the Right Choice for Your IoT Project? |url=https://www.eseye.com/resources/iot-explained/mno-or-mvno-for-iot/ |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=Eseye |language=en-US}}</ref> In addition the operator would also contain other elements like the [[Backhaul (telecommunications)|back haul]] infrastructure and [[provisioning (telecommunications)|provisioning]] computer systems.<ref name=":1">{{cite journal |last1=Mazalov |first1=Vladimir |last2=Lukyanenko |first2=Andrey |last3=Gurtov |first3=Andrei |date=30 October 2019 |title=Location–Price Competition in Mobile Operator Market |url=http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-164435 |journal=International Game Theory Review |volume=21 |issue=3 |page=2 |doi=10.1142/S0219198918500159 |s2cid=158860971 |access-date=4 August 2020}}</ref>

A mobile network operator typically also has the necessary provisioning, billing, and customer care computer systems, and the marketing, customer care, and engineering organizations needed to sell, deliver, and bill for services. However, a mobile network operator can outsource any of these systems or functions and still be considered a mobile network operator.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite web |title=MVNO {{!}} Glossary |url=https://www.gms-worldwide.com/glossary/mvno/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521033208/https://www.gms-worldwide.com/glossary/mvno/ |archive-date=May 21, 2022 |access-date=4 August 2020 |website=GMS Worldwide}}</ref>

The Government may allocate spectrum using whichever method it chooses, although the most common methods are a beauty contest, or an auction. Recent allocation of [[3G]] licences in [[Europe]] have been sold by auction to the highest bidder.

In addition to obtaining revenue by offering retail services under its own brand, a mobile network operator may also sell access to network services at wholesale rates to [[mobile virtual network operator]]s (MVNO).<ref name=":0" />

Another category of mobile phone operator is emerging in some markets called the [[MVNO|Mobile Virtual Network Operator]] or MVNO. As far as the subscriber is concerned, they seem identical to regular mobile phone operators. The critical difference is that they do not own the underlying network, but lease it instead from another incumbent operator in that country.

== List of operators ==

==See also==

{{main|List of mobile network operators}}

== See also ==

* [[Largest mobile phone companies]]

* [[Internet service provider]]

* [[List of telephone operating companies]]

* [[Mobile phone operator]]

* [[Mobile virtual network operator]]

* [[Telephone company]]

* [[Open-access network]]

== Notes ==

[[Category:Telephony]]

{{notelist}}

[[Category:GSM Standard]]

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

{{Telecommunications|IMEI=865962037209090}}

[[Category:TelephonyMobile technology]]

[[Category:GSMMobile Standardphone industry]]