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Think there's already too many T-Mobile MVNOs? We're about ready to be flooded by them
- T-Mobile announced a new business-centric program that lets brands easily create their own wireless carrier using the company’s network.
- Unlike their traditional MVNO relationship, the “Your Name, Our Wireless” program handles everything from sales and promotions to setup and even creating the website and any necessary apps.
- This new effort will likely mean there will be even more prepaid brands using the uncarrier’s network than ever before.
It’s no secret that T-Mobile has been in hot water with some of its customer base recently, which led me to write a piece on why T-Mobile is no longer the uncarrier we once knew. Not only has the company raised prices significantly, but moves like changing T-Mobile Tuesdays and adjusting price lock terms have certainly soured some of us. T-Mobile isn’t worried, though, as it doesn’t need to sell to you directly to profit from its extremely robust network. There are already over two dozen prepaid carriers that utilize T-Mobile’s network, and with the company’s latest announcement, it seems the floodgates are about to open even wider.
Today, T-Mobile unveiled its business-focused “Your Name, Our Wireless” initiative, which it claims is an end-to-end managed and operated solution that makes it easy for any business to set up its own branded carrier using T-Mobile’s network. Previously, T-Mobile’s mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) relationship was more complex, requiring the prepaid carrier to manage nearly every aspect, including sales, special promotions, marketing, and more. Even configuring the MVNO was up to the prepaid carrier, though T-Mobile obviously handled all network maintenance.
According to T-Mobile, the new initiative provides all the resources needed to launch and run a branded wireless service, including back-end configuration, customer support and service, billing, SIM fulfillment, and payment processing. T-Mobile will even work with these companies to create the websites and mobile apps necessary for the experience.
For example, T-Mobile mentions it is partnering with 11-time Grammy nominee RoccStar to launch Roccstar Wireless, which will essentially be run by T-Mobile. The new wireless provider has three plans including a 3GB plan for $9.99, a 15GB plan for $19.99, or $29.99 for its unlimited plus option, which gives you 40GB of high-speed data.
What does this mean for you?
While T-Mobile’s new program won’t directly affect consumers, it does mean we could be seeing a lot more carriers hiding behind T-Mobile’s network. Is this a good or a bad thing? Honestly, it depends on how much customization T-Mobile gives these brands. Its press release mentions the new program is flexible and scalable, so hopefully, that means they won’t all be carbon copies with the same pricing, plans, and features.
What it does mean is that there will likely be dozens of new MVNOs to sort out in the future, as the company says it is targeting this service at a wide variety of different business sectors, including retail, consumer electronics, financial services, lifestyle, and entertainment. What’s also unclear at this time is how these new brands will be prioritized when compared to truly independent MVNOs and the Un-carrier itself. It’s very likely the prioritization will be similar to carriers like Mint Mobile and Tello, but for now, that’s just speculation on our part.