(Mobile Virtual Network Operator) A reseller of wireless services. MVNOs do not own licensed spectrum and typically do not have any of their own wireless network infrastructure. Like landline telephone resellers, they sell service under their own brand name but use the facilities of existing carriers. However, MVNOs that do have network service centers can add value to their offerings.
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2009 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Samsung Mantra (Virgin Mobile)
- The new Mantra is only the second Samsung phone for Virgin Mobile. Like the earlier Slash, the Mantra (aka the SPH-M340) offers functional features and respectable, though not perfect, call quality. But unlike its predecessor the Mantra has a more agreeable flip phone design with spacious controls and keypad buttons....
- Product reviews 2009-07-10
- Kyocera Jax S1300 (Virgin Mobile)
- The Kyocera Jax for Virgin Mobile is the opposite of the carrier's Kyocera X-tc. While the X-tc offers a midrange feature set and a full keyboard for texting, the Jax is just a simple handset for making calls. The basic candy bar design holds no surprises and the feature set...
- Product reviews 2009-05-21
- Kyocera X-tc (Virgin Mobile)
- While the other carriers have completely embraced full QWERTY handsets, Virgin Mobile's been lacking in that department. Up until now, there have only been two choices: the Helio Ocean 2, which might be too fancy for some, and the outdated Kyocera Wild Card, which debuted back in 2007. Fortunately, there...
- Product reviews 2009-05-18
- LG 160 (Credo Mobile)
- Specialty cell phone carriers haven't had the best track record. Virgin Mobile is still around, but Mobile ESPN, Disney Mobile, and Amp'd Mobile have gone under. Even hotshot Helio, which offered the Helio Ocean, merged with Virgin Mobile last year. Yet, that hasn't stopped Credo mobile from giving the wireless...
- Product reviews 2009-05-18
- Jitterbug
- Editors' note: Because evaluating wireless coverage requires experience with the network in a wide variety of physical locations, CNET does not rate wireless carriers. We can, however, tell you everything you need to know about the major carriers. We invite your feedback and ratings in our user opinions section; the...
- Product reviews 2009-03-14
- Helio Ocean 2
- Photo gallery:Helio Ocean 2When the Helio Ocean was released two years ago, it marked the coming-of-age of the young MVNO upstart that was Helio. It was the carrier's first smartphone-like device, and it was also Pantech's first attempt at a dual-slider handset (Pantech would go on to create other dual-slider...
- Product reviews 2009-02-02
- Virgin Mobile Shuttle - red
- While we were fans of Helio handsets like the Ocean and the Kickflip, we knew that Helio as a company was struggling. Indeed, Helio was shopping around for a buyer, and in late June, Virgin Mobile stepped up to buy the fledgling MVNO for $39 million. There were many questions...
- Product reviews 2008-09-19
- Virgin Mobile TNT (Kyocera Adreno S2400)
- Virgin Mobile's cell phones tend to stick to the basics. Even when they offer cameras, like the UTStarcom Arc and the Samsung Slash, the handsets concentrate on doing what a cell phone should do. The prepaid carrier's latest model, the Kyocera TNT, certainly follows this format. Like the recent LG...
- Product reviews 2008-08-14
- Samsung Slash
- Most phones available for Virgin Mobile are from UTStarcom, Pantech, Kyocera, and LG, and the handsets are typically basic entry-level phones with minimal features. The latest phone to join Virgin Mobile is the Samsung Slash, which is the first-ever Samsung handset for the MVNO carrier. Though it's still fairly...
- Product reviews 2008-05-23
- TracFone Wireless
- Editor's note: Because evaluating wireless coverage requires experience with the network in a wide variety of physical locations, CNET does not rate wireless carriers. We can, however, tell you everything you need to know about the major carriers. We invite your feedback and ratings in our user opinions section--the more...
- Product reviews 2008-04-24
- Helio
- Editor's note: Because evaluating wireless coverage requires experience with the network in a wide variety of physical locations, CNET does not rate wireless carriers. We can, however, tell you everything you need to know about the major carriers. We invite your feedback and ratings in our user opinions section--the more...
- Product reviews 2008-04-24
- Boost Mobile
- Editor's note:Because evaluating wireless coverage requires experience with the network in a wide variety of physical locations, CNET does not rate wireless carriers. We can, however, tell you everything you need to know about the major carriers. We invite your feedback and ratings in our user opinions section--the more input...
- Product reviews 2008-04-21
- Virgin Mobile
- Editor's note: Because evaluating wireless coverage requires experience with the network in a wide variety of physical locations, CNET does not rate wireless carriers. We can, however, tell you everything you need to know about the major carriers. We invite your feedback and ratings in our user opinions section; the...
- Product reviews 2008-03-22
- If Skype was disruptive to telcos, then Cubic Telecom is their nightmare (and good for you)
- A few weeks prior to my scheduled departure for Dublin, Ireland where I ran the most recent Mashup Camp, I started handing out the phone numbers of my hotel and traveling companions to people who might want to reach me while I was over there. For cell phone usage,...
- Blog posts 2007-11-27
- LG Aloha - LX140 (Virgin Mobile)
- In a world of complicated cell phones you always can count on Virgin Mobile to introduce a basic cell phone for making calls. We've seen it a few times before, with handsets such as the Kyocera Marbl and the Kyocera Oystr, but this time around Virgin Mobile offers a new...
- Product reviews 2007-09-13
- Helio Fin
- Helio is one of those rare MVNOs that has captured some of the spotlight away from the major carriers with its hipper-than-thou ad campaigns, slick design philosophy, and tricked-out handsets. From the curvy Helio Kickflip to the dual-slider Helio Ocean, Helio is set to make waves in the MVNO pool...
- Product reviews 2007-08-23
- Poll: what's causing these huge iPhone activation delays?
- Poll: what's causing these huge iPhone activation delays?Not "honest" miscalculationLook, Apple knows how many phones were hitting the shelves. AT&T has activated millions of phones, and should have known what impact that volume of phones would have had on their infrastructure. It is a travesty of customer service...
- Discussion threads 2007-06-30
- iPhone blues: waiting in porting purgatory
- iPhone blues: waiting in porting purgatoryWaiting 5+ hours with NO portingI've been waiting 5+ hours, and I'm not even porting. The first 4 hours were spent talking with the AT&T store where my credit was pre-approved. The last 1+ waiting for BASIC activation to occur!How am I using...
- Discussion threads 2007-06-29
- iPhone step aside. Helio's Ocean does what you don't (and their NYC store opens tomorrow)
- iPhone step aside. Helio's Ocean does what you don't and their NYC store opens tomorrowHelio.. butt ugly hardware, butt ugly software A+ for consistencyntWhere Ocean doesn't compareDisplay: Ocean= 2.4" 240x320, iPhone= 3.5" 480x320Memory: Ocean=200meg, iPhone= 8 or 4 gig (how much money to upgrade the memory to 4 gig...
- Discussion threads 2007-06-27
- Pantech DM-P205
- Photo gallery:Pantech DM-P205We knew it was only a matter of time before every cell phone manufacturer jumped on the thin phone bandwagon and now with its DMP205 for Disney Mobile, Pantech has come on board as well. Yet, the DM-P205 isn't all about being thin as it offers Bluetooth, a...
- Product reviews 2007-05-31
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
- Reduce risk. Reduce complexity. Increase reliability.
-
A simplified IT environment isn't just less complex. It's also more reliable. Standardize on a single Linux platform with SUSE Linux Enterprise from Novell, and get the world's most interoperable Linux
- Learn more >>
- The best support in the Linux business
-
If Linux is going to power your mission-critical applications, you'd better have the best support known to business. Novell was rated the top provider of Linux technical support.
- Learn more >>
- New Online Dashboard for IT Leaders
-
Read about top issues IT decision-makers face every day, plus get cost-effective solutions to real-life IT problems.
- Learn more >>
- The best support in the Linux business
-
If Linux is going to power your mission-critical applications, you'd better have the best support known to business. Novell was rated the top provider of Linux technical support.
- Learn more >>
Enterprise Applications
- Check out some of the easiest and most powerful ways to boost productivity while saving money on your application infrastructure. See ZDNet's comprehensive Enterprise Application resource center, now!
- New Online Dashboard
-
- Read about top issues IT decision-makers face every day, plus get cost effective solutions to real life IT problems. Oracle Topline
-
