What’s the difference between MNO, MVNO & MVNA?

Everywhere you turn, there’s a new acronym. While the acronym may be short, there’s usually a lot of assumed knowledge baked into them. As you explore cellular IoT solutions, understanding the importance of some key acronyms can help you make the best decision for your business.

‍MNOs (Mobile Network Operators) are the wireless carriers

Let's start with the core infrastructure. A Mobile Network Operator (MNO) is a wireless telecommunications carrier that owns a radio spectrum license or controls access to that license. Typically, the Mobile Network Operator has all of the infrastructure it needs to sell and deliver services to customers, including back office services such as billing, marketing, customer service, and provisioning plus the wireless network and backhaul infrastructure needed to provide those services. Well-known MNOs in the United States include Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T.

Every MNO has a list of carriers they have partnerships with, and a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card from one MNO will only connect to that MNO and those partners. To connect to other cellular networks, the SIMs need specialized components. That requirement for more comprehensive cellular connectivity is one of the primary reasons for MVNOs in the cellular IoT space.

MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) deliver connectivity plus services

A Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) is a reseller of wireless technology. It doesn't own its own radio network, but buys bulk access to a network from an MNO and then resells connectivity and services. Notable US consumer MVNO brands include Consumer Cellular, Boost Mobile and Cricket Wireless. Hologram is a MVNO that offers global coverage and services for cellular IoT devices. (More on that below.)

Some MVNOs use MVNEs (Mobile Virtual Network Enablers) and MVNAs (Mobile Virtual Network Aggregator)

To be competitive, small MVNOs often use a Mobile Virtual Network Enabler (MVNE) or a Mobile Virtual Network Aggregator (MVNA). MVNEs supply network infrastructure and services to a MVNO, enabling the MVNO to offer services to its customers. Typical MVNE services include network planning, implementation and management (SIM provisioning, billing, and customer management). MVNAs aggregate an operator’s airtime and route it to a number of small MNVOs, which allows the smaller operators to get better pricing. Not all MVNOs use MVNEs or MVNAs.

So exactly where do cellular IoT MVNOs fit in?

You’re reading this blog because you are trying to solve a business challenge with device connectivity. Now that you know what the acronyms mean, let’s cover why it matters. It’s easy to confuse consumer cellular MNOs with cellular IoT MVNOs.

There is a big difference between the connectivity we need for our consumer cellular phones that we buy from MNOs and the connectivity needed to power business devices - what we call Cellular IoT. Those cellular IoT devices are often the backbone of businesses (Point of Sale systems, fleet tracking, autonomous vehicles, etc.) and the critical link in security and healthcare (video monitoring, remote patient monitoring, etc).

To deliver the levels of reliability needed for business-grade device connectivity and reliability, cellular IoT MVNOs developed cellular IoT SIM cards. These IoT SIM cards are able to access many network providers. Remember, consumer MNOs only connect to that specific carrier and select partners.

Additionally, businesses can use MVNOs to connect, manage, and scale IoT without building it all out themselves. MVNOs have their own contract with MNOs and can offer advantageous pricing as they purchase at scale.

Key advantages of IoT MVNOs over traditional MNOs

When you're evaluating connectivity options for your IoT deployment, understanding the practical advantages of working with an IoT MVNO can make all the difference. Here are the key benefits that matter most to businesses building connected solutions.

Network customization and control

IoT MVNOs can configure custom Access Point Names (APNs), quality of service (QoS) policies, and security settings tailored to your specific deployment needs. Unlike consumer MNOs that offer standardized services, IoT MVNOs provide the technical flexibility to optimize network behavior for different device types and use cases.

Significant cost savings

IoT MVNOs typically offer substantial cost savings compared to MNOs for similar connectivity. This efficiency comes from specialized IoT pricing models like pooled data plans, pay-per-use billing, and tiered pricing that match actual IoT device usage patterns rather than consumer mobile plans.

Faster deployment and time-to-market

MVNOs can typically provision new services, integrate APIs, and customize solutions in weeks rather than the months often required by larger MNOs. This agility is crucial when launching new IoT products or scaling existing deployments.

Common IoT connectivity use cases

IoT MVNOs power connectivity across diverse industries and applications. Here are some common use cases where businesses get extra value from MVNOs to keep their devices connected.

Smart agriculture and environmental monitoring

Sensors in remote fields need reliable, low-power connectivity to transmit crop data, soil conditions, and weather information. Multi-network MVNOs ensure coverage in rural areas where single-carrier solutions often fail.

Fleet and asset tracking

Vehicles and assets crossing state or international boundaries require seamless connectivity transitions. MVNO solutions with global coverage eliminate expensive roaming charges and coverage gaps.

Healthcare and medical devices

Remote patient monitoring devices demand ultra-reliable connectivity with guaranteed uptime. Hologram's outage protection ensures critical health data always reaches healthcare providers.

Smart city infrastructure

Traffic sensors, parking meters, and environmental monitors need cost-effective, scalable connectivity. MVNOs offer the flexible pricing and device management tools cities need to deploy thousands of connected devices efficiently.

Why Hologram?

What’s even better than your understanding of these acronyms is that Hologram takes away all of that complexity. We deliver a complete cellular IoT solution to immediately get you started building solutions with connected devices.

Flexible SIM cards to meet your business needs

• If uptime is an absolute must, our Outage Protection SIMs seamlessly switch your devices from the primary MNO to a back-up MNO so that cellular IoT-powered devices work flawlessly.
• That's how we deliver the strongest outage protection in cellular history with a 99.95% uptime, contractually guaranteed.
• Our Single-Core SIMs offer reliable coverage with our network of 500+ carriers around the world to ensure uptime and the best coverage.

Industry-leading dashboard to simplify operations

• Our intuitive Dashboard requires no training and lets you see your entire connected world, all at once.
• Efficiently manage your fleet of devices, quickly troubleshoot problems, and have real-time awareness of your usage.
• Stay ahead of potential disruptions and get alerted to changes in your operations with 24/7 monitoring.

Best-in-class services and support to ensure success

• Our Test Mode reduces end-to-end testing by 90% and dramatically increases your yield.
• Test Mode also seamlessly associates your SIMs with your account and displays them in the Dashboard.
• Plus, our Solutions Engineers can help you architect your ideal connectivity solution.

FAQs about MNO vs MVNO for IoT

How reliable are MVNO networks compared to MNOs?

MVNO reliability depends on their underlying network partnerships and infrastructure. Leading IoT MVNOs like Hologram often provide superior reliability through multi-carrier redundancy and specialized outage protection that single-carrier MNOs cannot match.

Can MVNOs support global IoT deployments?

Yes, MVNOs excel at global deployments through partnerships with carriers worldwide. Unlike MNOs limited to their home networks plus roaming partners, MVNOs aggregate multiple networks under single SIM solutions.

What's the difference between light MVNOs and full MVNOs?

Light MVNOs primarily resell network access with limited customization, while full MVNOs operate their own core network infrastructure, enabling advanced features like custom APNs, specialized routing, and enhanced security policies.

Do MVNOs provide adequate support for technical IoT deployments?

IoT-focused MVNOs typically offer specialized technical support including device certification assistance, API integration help, and IoT protocol expertise that general MNO support teams often lack.