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According to Wave7 Research’s latest prepaid wireless report, new MVNOs are springing up left and right, each attempting to stand out in a crowded market. Many are catering to international travelers with cross-border roaming and global calling, while others focus on cutting-edge offerings like cryptocurrency rewards. Here’s a look at some of the most notable new entrants and how they hope to survive in this rapidly growing space.
Latin American and Global Roaming Focused MVNOs
Latino Móvil, Yo Mobile, and Qué tal Mobile are all focused on those with Latin American roots. Yo Mobile touts that you can keep your family connected across the US and Mexico all under one plan. Qué tal Mobile's website has both English and Spanish variations and highlights that you can be "connected with your loved ones, without borders or complications." They also exclaim that they offer "support in your language and plans designed for you." They don't appear to offer roaming but do focus on international calling needs.
Latino Móvil's website is also offered in both English and Spanish. Visitors to it are currently greeted with the message "unlimited everything for Latin Americans from just $15." Their plans do not include roaming but do come with international calling.
Surf Mobile USA launched offering separate packages for both North America and global roaming. Pricing starts at $12/month. Wave7 Research has observed them being sold in a couple of prepaid wireless dealer stores as detailed in this quarterly prepaid dealer survey.
An MVNO for Immigrants by Immigrants
Rivertel says it was founded by immigrants that "have united to build a holistic platform for financial and social inclusion of immigrants, new and old." In addition to offering wireless service, Rivertel says it "goes the extra mile by providing immigrant acclimation services. These services include aiding new residents in navigating existing resources, offering legal assistance, mental health counseling, and job support in the United States."
Select plans include calling and texting to global numbers plus roaming in Canada and Mexico and international roaming credits. Plans start at just $10/month and can be purchased in increments of either 1, 3, 6, or 12 months.
Privacy Focused Premium MVNO
Cape launched promising security and privacy that includes SIM swap protection, spam shield, enhanced signaling protection and anonymous sign up. But it will cost you. The service is priced at $99/month, taxes and fees included. It offers 50GB of high-speed data with the disclaimer they may temporarily slow data speeds after that allotment has been reached. A press release in April 2024 states that they raised $61 million in venture capital funding.
Crypto-Rewards MVNOs
Stack Mobile and Fliggs Mobile both offer crypto rewards payments. Fliggs offer 5% cashback in Bitcoin every month. Their flagship plan priced at $59.95/month also includes global roaming. Stack Mobile will let you choose your own crypto rewards coin. The MVNO has yet to start offering services but their website claims a January 2025 launch date.
Other Niches and Launches
NY Mobile has been stuck in a coming soon state for awhile now. The company claims that it will offer exclusive access to premium phone numbers including vanity numbers.
Whoop Mobile has been out for awhile advertising itself across various social media platforms. The company offers traditional talk, text, and data phone plans with a loyalty rewards program. Customers can "pick their price" by using a slider on their website with prices ranging from $5/month for an annual plan with 768MB of monthly data to $50/month for an unlimited plan with no definition of what unlimited actually means.
What Networks Are They Using?
A majority of these providers have launched or will launch on T-Mobile including NY Mobile, Fliggs Mobile, Stack Mobile, Surf USA Mobile, Rivertel, and Latino Móvil. Whoop Mobile, Yo Mobile, and Qué tal Mobile launched as AT&T MVNOs. The previously mentioned Cape press release says they have operations on 12 separate national and regional carrier networks by using UScellular's enterprise grade multicarrier full MVNO Revolution infrastructure.
“Every time I hear about a new MVNO, I ask the same question. How does this MVNO differentiate itself from existing options? There are strong options from existing carriers, so the key for any new entrant is to first differentiate itself from existing carriers and then to make itself known to prospects.” – Jeff Moore, Principal of Wave7 Research
With so many new MVNOs entering the market, consumers have more options than ever—especially those looking for international calling, bilingual support, or niche rewards. Still, as Jon Horovitz has often pointed out, differentiation is crucial. Simply having a niche offering may not be enough if the overall execution—pricing, coverage, and customer support—doesn’t align. It remains to be seen which of these newcomers will succeed and which will vanish, as others have before, in an increasingly saturated MVNO market.