“Four years ago, an Apple patent surfaced that outlined how the consumer electronics company might become something called an MVNO,” Brian Barrett writes for Wired. “Rumors to that effect have persisted for years, most recently resurfacing this week at Business Insider. Apple swatted the latest aside, telling CNBC that it hasn’t discussed and isn’t planning anything of the sort. And that’s a shame, because it absolutely should.”
“MVNO may sound like an obscure pharmaceutical stock ticker symbol, but it stands for ‘mobile virtual network operator,’ which is admittedly still pretty inscrutable,” Barrett writes. ” In practice, though, it’s very straightforward, explains telecom industry analyst Jeff Kagan. ‘An MVNO is simply a reseller,’ says Kagan. ‘It’s a company who strikes up an agreement with a wireless network to sell wireless service without owning their own networks.'”
BREAKING: Apple says it has not discussed & is not planning MVNO cellular service following reports saying it was planning on doing that.
— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) August 4, 2015
“Apple is popular. Carriers are not. So why cede so much of your customer’s iPhone experience to the latter?” Barrett writes. “It’s not a small gap, either. In the 2014 American Consumer Satisfaction Index, Apple ranked 15th overall, and just narrowly second (behind Amazon) among technology companies. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint all sit near the bottom, while Verizon managed to split the difference, likely thanks to its perennially reliable coverage. Selling iPhones, then, must often feel like serving filet mignon in an Arby’s… Apple may be waving off the idea of an MVNO for now. It shouldn’t. Not if it wants what’s best for Apple, for its customers, and for anyone with a data plan.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Business Insider. Wrong again. Shocking.
Obviously, we’re in the silly season now. And, this ever-recurring Apple MVNO rumor predates the iPhone itself.
Surely Apple has a long-range plan. Despite what many of us think we want, if becoming a MVNO were so beneficial, if the positives so outweighed the negatives, Apple would have become one long ago.
SEE ALSO:
Apple MVNO coming soon? – August 3, 2015
MVNO: Should Apple become its own cellular carrier? – May 7, 2015
Expert: Apple plans to crush carriers and offer direct mobile service – May 1, 2012
The crazy master plan that could complete Apple’s mobile domination – November 29, 2011
Does Apple want to be its own carrier? MVNO patent application extended – June 2, 2011
Apple granted ‘Dynamic Carrier Selection’ patent where carriers bid to provide service to iPhones – February 9, 2011
Apple to soon become MVNO? – December 05, 2008
Apple’s unprecedented, almost unbelievable iPhone business model: hassle-free MVNO – October 01, 2007
UBS analyst: Apple may launch MVNO, serve as own carrier for ‘iPhone’ – December 13, 2006
Cingular music deal suggests possible Apple MVNO for ‘iPhone’ – November 01, 2006
Many expect Apple to launch its own cellular service (MVNO) before year’s end – April 22, 2006
Apple to become mobile virtual network operator (MVNO)? – April 19, 2006
Analysts tackle Apple’s ‘Mobile Me’ patent, iPhone rumors, MVNO possibilities – January 19, 2006
Apple may eventually introduce its own ‘iPhone’ cell phone-iPod combo and create Apple MVNO – September 12, 2005