For wholesale executives at mobile network operators (MNOs), growing the business by enabling new MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) has always been a challenge. High upfront costs, technical barriers, and reliance on outdated systems often prevent MVNOs from thriving. But with the rise of cloud-native, true-SaaS BSS platforms, many of these entry barriers are being dismantled.
Lowering these barriers doesn’t just help MVNOs—it’s a win for wholesale mobile network operators too. By simplifying MVNO entry, MNOs can expand their indirect market share and reach new audiences they previously couldn’t—whether it’s niche markets or underserved regions. MVNOs allow MNOs to tap into new revenue streams while diversifying their service portfolios.
Here are five key ways to lower MVNO entry barriers and help both MNOs and MVNOs thrive in this expanding market.
Lower financial barriers with cloud-native infrastructure and flexible pricing
Entering the MVNO market used to come with significant upfront investment, whether for infrastructure, billing systems, or network management. For both full MVNOs (who buy and run their own systems) and light MVNOs (who rely more heavily on the host MNO), these costs are eventually passed on to the MVNOs.
However, modern SaaS BSS solutions change the financial equation dramatically. Instead of having to purchase and maintain physical infrastructure like data centers or hardware, cloud-native BSS platforms operate in the public cloud, where everything scales flexibly. There are no cooling, power, or real estate costs to be accounted for.
Beyond eliminating much of the upfront capital costs, modern SaaS BSS often offer usage-based pricing. This pay-as-you-grow model allows MVNOs to start small, paying only for the resources they need. This flexibility makes the MNO more attractive to potential MVNOs, helping to expand the wholesale mobile business.
Accelerate MVNO onboarding with multi-tenancy
Onboarding new MVNOs has traditionally been a slow and complex process, bogged down by the need for careful capacity planning, infrastructure setup, and hardware investments. Traditional BSS systems demanded significant time and resources to bring new MVNOs to market, limiting how quickly wholesale MNOs could respond to new opportunities.
This is especially problematic for MVNOs operating on lean budgets and thin margins. The longer it takes to get operational, the more capital is burned before revenue starts flowing, increasing financial strain. Additionally, extended onboarding times delay a return on investment (ROI) for wholesale MNOs, making the entire venture less attractive and efficient.
With multi-tenant architecture, these challenges are being addressed. Instead of provisioning separate environments for each MVNO, wholesale MNOs can leverage a shared infrastructure that scales dynamically. Multi-tenancy ensures that resources are allocated seamlessly, making onboarding fast and hassle-free, reducing costs, and accelerating time-to-revenue.
For wholesale MNOs, this efficiency translates to a faster ROI, reduced operational overhead, and an attractive offering for potential MVNO partners. In today’s telecom landscape, the ability to onboard quickly and efficiently is more than a convenience—it’s a strategic necessity.
Speed up time to market for new products and innovation
The need for rapid innovation in the telecom sector is critical. MVNOs must continuously introduce new products and services to engage customers and stay relevant. They also need to react quickly to market trends and competitive threats. In this high-stakes environment, the ability to experiment, fail fast, and optimize is what sets successful players apart from the rest.
Traditional BSS platforms, with their rigid and cumbersome workflows, make this level of agility nearly impossible. They hinder the ability to test new ideas, adapt to consumer demands, and launch products swiftly.
Modern BSS solutions flip the script by enabling speed and flexibility. With intuitive, no-code user interfaces and AI-powered automation, MVNOs can experiment with new service plans, launch seasonal promotions, and iterate on product ideas at lightning speed. This ability to test and refine quickly is crucial for staying ahead of the competition and responding to market shifts.
For wholesale MNOs, providing MVNO partners with this kind of agility fosters a culture of innovation and makes their network a hub of competitive, forward-thinking offerings.
Cut through complexity with flexible, intuitive BSS
Managing an MVNO should not feel like navigating a labyrinth, yet that’s often the case with traditional BSS platforms. These outdated systems require specialized IT expertise for even simple tasks, such as updating pricing plans or launching new service offerings. This dependency slows down operations and limits the agility of MVNOs.
The latest cloud-native BSS platforms eliminate much of this complexity. They come with intuitive dashboards, easily configurable workflows, and a design that empowers business users to make changes without technical support. Tasks that once took days or weeks can now be handled in minutes, enabling MVNOs to operate more efficiently and independently.
This newfound simplicity doesn’t just benefit MVNOs. Wholesale MNOs can manage a larger portfolio of partners with less overhead and fewer headaches. Reducing complexity means creating a more streamlined, agile business environment—one where innovation and efficiency thrive.
Empower business users with AI
AI’s role in transforming telecom operations goes beyond just automation; it’s about unlocking strategic opportunities. While AI tools do simplify processes and eliminate repetitive tasks, their true potential lies in enabling smarter business decisions that drive growth.
Plan Sidekick, for example, allows business users to ideate, configure, test, and deploy new products and price plans using natural language, without any IT being involved. It even ensures that the proposed products meet commercial margin requirements, giving MVNOs greater control and efficiency without needing deep technical expertise.
On the other hand, PlanAI showcases AI’s ability to tackle business challenges directly. By analyzing vast datasets, PlanAI generates hyper-personalized offers that can increase ARPU and reduce churn. It uses machine learning to understand customer behavior in real time, enabling MVNOs to implement highly effective engagement strategies and discover new revenue opportunities.
MVNOs empowered by these AI-driven tools can better compete and thrive, while wholesale MNOs benefit from a more capable and independent partner ecosystem. By providing these advanced capabilities, MNOs are setting the stage for long-term, strategic growth across the board.
Sweeping the MVNO market: Breaking MVNO barriers with cloud-native BSS
As the wholesale mobile market evolves, the barriers that once kept MVNOs from thriving are being systematically dismantled. By adopting cloud-native, true-SaaS BSS platforms, both MVNOs and MNOs can unlock new levels of growth, agility, and profitability. But there’s another game-changing impact to consider: the role of the middleman.
Historically, MNOs have relied on MVNEs (Mobile Virtual Network Enablers)to manage the complexity and operational overhead associated with hosting multiple MVNOs. MVNEs have acted as critical enablers, handling the technical intricacies and offering streamlined solutions for both MNOs and MVNOs. However, this arrangement comes at a cost, as MVNEs take a share of the margins from both parties.
Now, with the rise of modern, AI-powered BSS platforms, the need for an intermediary is being questioned. These platforms simplify and automate many of the tasks that previously required deep telco expertise, making it easier for MNOs to manage MVNO relationships directly. For MVNOs, operational complexity is no longer a prohibitive barrier, enabling leaner, more efficient operations.
In this new landscape, MNOs have the potential to eliminate the middleman, reducing costs and capturing greater value from their wholesale partnerships. The future is clear: cloud-native BSS is not just reshaping MVNO entry barriers but also transforming the entire ecosystem of wholesale mobile services.
Looking for more ways to break down MVNO entry barriers and streamline operations? Stay tuned for our next blog post in this series. We’ll break-down the hidden costs that make legacy BSS so expensive, hindering MNOS from growing their MVNO footprint.
In the meantime, book a demo today to see how Totogi’s modern SaaS telecom BSS can help your MVNOs thrive.
