Services
Development of Mobile Services
In addition to conventional licensed mobile operators, new independent mobile service providers (IMSP) and mobile virtual operators (MVNOs) have entered in the telecommunication market who offers their services in the networks of licensed mobile operators.
Service Providers provide their services as resellers of their hosting mobile network or they can own and administer equipment by which they are able to produce their own services with their own brands. In more sophisticated solutions they may own their own mobile switch, HLR and related equipment and develop services that compete with services provided by the hosting mobile operator. All service provisioning to its customers and interconnection to other networks takes place still in the network of the hosting mobile network operator.
MVNOs provide their services as network operators having their own interconnection links with other network operators and their own interconnection agreements. They lease the necessary radio access from their hosting MNO. Leased radio access is necessary in order to connect their subscribers to their mobile switch.
Reasons for a MNO to select an IMSP or an MVNO include among others:
- Reaching or testing of new market segments
- Filling the free network capacity
- Risk sharing by using several service trade marks
- Sharing network investments
- Quick manner to increase traffic in the network
- Introduction of new services which supplement existing services
- Increasing of internal competition