18949 Why banks and social networks, virtual operators?

Why banks and social networks, virtual operators?



“VKontakte”, “Sberbank”, Russian Railways… all of a sudden wanted to have a private mobile operators. Why large companies resell services, which are and so small price offers “big four”? Virtual operators are created with different objectives and offer subscribers different services and the bonuses. We will tell, than they differ and do they have a future in Russia, and how they benefit users.

Who are virtual operators?

You know, what is the main symptom of saturation and maturity of the cellular market? No, this is not a penetration of 200 per cent or more — when every inhabitant, including babies, two “SIM cards”. Not valuing your number of subscribers. Not even takeover the independent cell phone retailers operator. Most importantly — the rapid development of virtual operators, MVNOs. Their distribution means that the basic operators have already mastered all found their market niche and still have free resources of the network, which would be a good idea to sell cheap wholesale for those who will be able to sell them more expensive and retail.

Зачем банкам и соцсетям виртуальные операторы?

MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) — a company that sells to the final consumer cellular services, but does not have its own infrastructure to provide such services. Depending on the business model of the particular virtual operator can only have part of the necessary infrastructure (e.g., radiodestiny as Yota), or not have the infrastructure in General, as, for example, the operators of tourist SIM-cards.

Speaking of virtual operators, it is very easy to get lost in the terminology. Under the MVNO is meant here is those who work with the end user, involved in marketing and sales. MNO (Mobile Network Operator) is the operator that owns the physical network.

There are more aggregators, virtual operators — MVNA (Mobile Virtual Network Aggregator). The meaning of their existence in that classic “big” operators is unprofitable to work directly with many small “virtualdeco” selling their traffic in small volumes: it is easier to sell one player is “large bulk”.

Similar is the role of MVNE (Mobile Virtual Network Enabler). Unlike MVNA is that they actually allow you to create an MVNO from scratch, with no hardware. That is, they concurrently provide the entire back-end: billing, administration, cloud-based network elements.

Зачем банкам и соцсетям виртуальные операторы?The scheme of interaction between MNO, MVNE, MVNA and MVNO

Virtual operators depending on the schemes of work are divided into four types. Full MVNO — a stranger-only radio network. Light MVNO’s network routing and switching, as well as main channels. Second Brand — all applications and services from underlying network operator. Branded Reseller — MNO is responsible for customer support, billing and payments, setting up customer equipment, leaving only MVNO sales and marketing.

It is important not to confuse MVNO with so-called “collective”. It is common in Russia the scheme of resale of traffic. In the framework of its corporate staff division’s operating companies create a legal entity connected to special conditions — as a corporate customer with rates cheaper than the market. Want to save money then resell the traffic.

What are MVNO and what benefits do they offer?

Discount MVNO. This model works most of the virtual operators: 26% in the world, according to the “GSM Association” for 2015. Ordinary operators economical subscribers are not very interesting due to the low ARPU (average revenue per user). “Virtualsite” can profitably offer one primary service, and to earn by selling additional services at higher prices. For example, the classic version is free calls within the caller group — family or even all users of this operator. While calls to other subscribers — paid and more expensive market. For such a scheme in Russia up to 2010 worked MVNO “Simply for dialogue”. Now a similar principle applies in the “Atlas” and “Talk” (see below), although they cannot be called a classic discount the business model of these operators is more complicated.

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Telecom-MVNO. On the second place on prevalence in the world — 20% of all virtual operators. In this case, the fixed-line operator creates a MVNO for the provision of converged, that is, composite services. The simplest example: subscribers are offered the convenience of a “one stop shop” for payments for fixed and mobile communications. In more complex variants can bind fixed numbers to mobile-based virtual PBX. A vivid example of such a MVNO MGTS.

Зачем банкам и соцсетям виртуальные операторы?

The connection for bonus points. Operator “Atlas”, operating on the Freemium model and focused, according to the peculiarities of communication on pupils and students, made a lot of noise. Something it is similar to the discounter, and for communication here you can not pay. The user is required to download the application, whose basic purpose is the accumulation of “Atlas”, a special internal currency. She paid communication services beyond modest free package. So, buying on AliExpress give cashback 4%, booking.com — 2%, 1% will bring Aviasales, 2% — MediaMarkt. There are also other online shops: Lamoda, myToys, “Mebelion”, “Ile de Beaute”, “Svyaznoy” and others.

Зачем банкам и соцсетям виртуальные операторы?

MVNO for migrants (12% of the total). We have representatives of this type of operators are Aiva Mobile and Sim Sim. They focus on cheap international calls, as well as provide support in foreign languages. In Russia, Uzbek, Tajik, etc.

Зачем банкам и соцсетям виртуальные операторы?

Retail MVNO (12% of the total). The purpose of these operators is to increase the loyalty of customers of a particular retail chain or brand. Projects mobile communications from retailers was the “Auchan” and “Coherent”. There was a statement “Zenit mobile” for fans of the same football club. All of them have ceased to exist, because they could not offer any particularly interesting conditions or unique services. For example, “Zenith” could boast of SMS broadcasting, but a true fan watches the match at the stadium, in a bar or at home on TV. And the “Coherent” you can earn bonuses by type cash back, but money that the average subscriber spends on communication, to more or less significant amount is not possible.

Content MVNO. On Retail-like MVNO and VK Mobile operator from “Vkontakte”. Here, too, is a question of loyalty to the brand. Voice and SMS are not included, but included some paid services of the social network: ideally, it turns out that additional services sold, and the voice and SMS work.

Subscribers have unlimited traffic on the services of this social network and 2 GB Internet for other services.

However, if you add at least two minutes per day, tariff plans conventional operators will be much more attractive. Here, the operator relies on a very narrow specific group of subscribers, which does not communicate outside of “Vkontakte”. This correlates with the desire of social networks to close all traffic and content within themselves.

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Зачем банкам и соцсетям виртуальные операторы?

Bank MVNO at first glance similar to retailers. While on the market there is only the product of “Sberbank” under the name “Talk“, but interest in the topic was displayed by other banks such as “Opening” and “Tinkoff”. The latter promises to launch a full-fledged operator with its own network ID, the allocated range of numbers and SIM cards, as well as their tariffs and services.

The main feature of the proposals from Sberbank granted to all subscribers of the free service package: 50 minutes of local calls and 500 MB Internet traffic. It completely covers the needs of insignificant customers.

Tariff plans are also attractive, but for a Bank, “virtualist” solves a few other problems, rather than for the retailer. First, the Bank due to this, saves 30-40% on SMS-notification, which is sent to several million a day. Otherwise would have to pay the SMS-aggregator. Second, the operator for the Bank — a tool for data mining: analyzing the movement of subscribers and their traffic, it is possible to obtain a large amount of useful information for scoring and optimization of the branch network. Thirdly, your statement is, in fact, a platform for mobile Commerce. Attempts of Russian MNO to enter in this sector is hampered by the barrier of mistrust: nobody is ready to keep mobile account an amount greater than that required to pay for the connection, since it may unexpectedly charged for roaming, subscriptions, and other “obscure” services. To the Bank the same degree of confidence is much higher.

Зачем банкам и соцсетям виртуальные операторы?

MVNO for tourism and business (9% of all virtual operators) In this niche include comprehensive proposals for groups with specific traffic patterns, which the classical operators are unable to find suitable services. Among them, for example, those who need a large amount of roaming traffic. This can be attributed to tourist SIM cards. In Russia, for example, “Teletie“. Working well in its sector DrimSim operator specializing in international Data-roaming and via the aggregator resells the traffic of local operators around the world at prices comparable to local prepaid SIM cards. On a similar principle function Comfortway and DrimSim.

Зачем банкам и соцсетям виртуальные операторы?

Are there any pitfalls for subscribers?

Often the virtual operator offers cheap or even free basic package of services. Price-sensitive subscriber “bite” to get free service based on the fact, that the toll be resorted to rarely, or not use them at all. But in reality he uses them and pays often more than a traditional operators. This is one of the schemes of the earnings of operators in the discount scheme. Therefore, when choosing MVNOs need to be calibrated, would you spend more than the average operator.

As a rule, the main pages of the sites of virtual operators is not specified, on the basis of any MNO built their network. In most cases this information to the user and don’t need. However, it can be useful if you want to know the coverage area. Whose capacity built virtual operators, we can find out, for example, in the corresponding article in the Wiki.

Зачем банкам и соцсетям виртуальные операторы?“Sberbankovskoy” operator works only in St.-Petersburg and Leningrad region

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Virtual operators can be closed. In this case, what happens with the subscription number? Most often it goes to the service operator, which was built closed MVNO. This happens transparently for users. In addition, there is always the possibility to use the service of transfer of numbers to other operator (MNP). But then, of course, the subscriber will have to take independent action.

Difficulties in the development

In our country, the development of virtual operators is stalled. In total, they serve about 1% of all subscribers, which on the one hand, confirms the thesis about their Nichelatti, and with another — raises questions about the correctness of the choice of strategy. If you look at tariff plans of virtual operators, it turns out that the classic operator or its competitors have identical sentences with small incremental differences in price. No wonder players like “Svyaznoy mobile” and “Just to talk” ceased to exist. Under other equal conditions, the subscriber rather trust well-known brand.

Doubtful and the prospects of “Atlas”: among its partners there are no stores everyday necessities like supermarkets or gas stations, with shopping in which you can gain points in large quantities. Of course, to pay for communication services it is possible and common money, but the average market rates, and special sense in this. (With rare exceptions — for example, modest packet rate for 150 rubles per month, while at the MNO packages start from 200 rubles).

The most successful “virtualsystem” for the mass market in Russia today is Yota: about 2.5 million subscribers at the end of 2016. In 2017, subscriber growth Yota has stopped, as the operator is following the trends of the market, abandoned its key advantages — unlimited mobile Internet.

Зачем банкам и соцсетям виртуальные операторы?

What do they have?

MVNO’s are very popular in USA and South-East Asia, but especially in Europe, where there are 100 million subscribers “virtualdeco”. Mostly operators for ethnic communities, as well as discounters, the development of which contribute to historically high prices for mobile communications the underlying MNO. In this case the MNO engaged in the subsidization of subscriber equipment: expensive smartphone contract and “salochki” under operator, you can obtain almost for free, and this subsidy is included in the fare, while the MVNO sells traffic cheaper without a “load” in the form of equipment. In Russia such scheme subsidy are impossible because of the peculiarities of legislation: the subscriber can go from an expensive tariff without legal consequences for themselves.

Зачем банкам и соцсетям виртуальные операторы?

Conclusion

While in Russia, the virtual operators are not able to bring a significant benefit to customers in the mass market. Cellular services and so are very cheap. The potential savings for the user is calculated on the strength of a hundred rubles a month, and inertia subscribers outweighs. But in the niches where you can save a lot of (tourism) or to new opportunities (Telecom, banking), MVNOs still compete for a place under the sun. Why virtual operators need to banks and social networks, we understand. If you need them — only you can solve. For example, if you are already a customer of Sberbank or go online mainly for VC, the second SIM card with the free services can be an interesting option.

The author of the text: the expert of the analytical Agency TelecomDaily Ilya Shatilin

Source: 4pda.ru

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