MVNO Nation Europe 2026: four themes to watch and why they matter

From November 3^rd to 5^th, I’ll be attending MVNO Nation Europe 2026 in Alicante, Spain – the third time in a row I’ve attended the event. The MVNO industry is undergoing a period of transformation, with new players entering the market, shifting competition, evolving wholesale relationships, and emerging technologies challenging traditional business models while creating new growth opportunities. Against this backdrop, here are four themes I am looking out for.

1. Beyond price: The search for sustainable differentiation

In the last decade, the number of MVNOs has grown by 70% globally, reaching more than 2250. Price competition has traditionally been central to the MVNO consumer proposition. However, commoditised connectivity and pressure on margins are forcing MVNOs to rethink their strategies. Today, the MVNO business model is more diverse than ever; ‘discount’ is the primary business model only for 32% of MVNOs (10 years ago, this figure was higher).  

Price is no longer the only competitive battleground. For example, the MVNO model is being reshaped by non-telco brands identifying mobile as a new strategic layer in their broader customer ecosystem. Fintech platforms, retailers and digital service providers are embedding connectivity into their core offerings – not to compete on tariffs but to strengthen loyalty, monetise brand equity and extend the value delivered in their non-telco customer relationships. The economics are now more accessible through TaaS platforms that address some of the traditional barriers to entry. A new competitive dynamic is therefore emerging: brand-led, value-based differentiation.

Understanding the shifts in customer behaviour is essential to identifying new growth opportunities. On 3 November, I will deliver a keynote on “One network, two worlds – key areas where MVNO and MNO customers are really different”, examining the key areas of behavioural differences between MNO and MVNO customers and their commercial implications. This should hopefully provide fresh insights that can inform future strategies.

MVNO customers spend approximately 30% less on mobile connectivity than MNO customers, while subscriber churn is considerably higher, at 19% versus 13%. How can MVNOs overcome these challenges? Over the three days, the conference will explore alternative approaches to price, including customer experience, fixed-mobile convergence and value-added services. 

For sure, sustainable growth requires more than subscriber acquisition. MVNOs must improve retention, increase customer lifetime value and develop innovative propositions. Digital transformation is a must. Enterprises around the world and across vertical sectors will on average spend 10% of their revenues on digital transformation during 2026–2032. Are MVNOs investing similar amounts? Can MVNOs capture a piece of the enterprise spend? The conference should help answer these questions.

2. AI: Moving from experimentation to measurable returns

Enterprise adoption of AI has grown rapidly in recent years, with around 40% of enterprises (globally across vertical sectors) currently making advanced use of AI. Of these, 60% are reporting a clear positive impact. AI features prominently in the conference agenda, with discussions exploring churn prediction, customer service automation, sales optimisation and operational efficiency. 

The potential commercial benefits for MVNOs are significant. AI could help MVNOs identify customers at risk of leaving, personalise retention offers and optimise digital customer journeys. 42% of MVNO customers prefer purchasing smartphones online, creating opportunities for AI-enabled digital sales and personalised recommendations. For MVNOs, AI could help deliver personalised customer experiences without proportionately increasing operational resources.

However, technology adoption alone will not guarantee competitive advantage. The focus must shift towards measurable outcomes, including lower churn, improved conversion rates and reduced operating costs. 

3. eSIM and IoT: Opening new avenues for growth

eSIM and IoT will feature prominently, particularly travel eSIM, eSIM-only digital services, and the implications of the emerging GSMA SGP.32 eSIM specification. The conference will examine consumer eSIM, IoT eSIM implementation, satellite connectivity and direct-to-device communications, alongside new opportunities in enterprise connectivity.

For MVNOs, SGP.32 could simplify remote provisioning and connectivity management across multiple networks and geographies. However, capturing sustainable value will require moving beyond SIM provision towards managed connectivity, device management and integrated enterprise solutions.

Travel eSIM will certainly capture attention and discussions during the event. It is clearly an emerging eSIM use case, but more work is needed. Adoption of travel eSIM service has grown 50% year on year, but it remains niche. 90% of travellers connecting to mobile networks still rely on operators (MNOs and MVNOs) to access the internet from their smartphone while abroad. For sure, travel eSIM is helping capture ‘silent roamers’, reducing the share of travellers relying only on Wi-Fi. 

Travel eSIM also needs more work on customer experience. Half of travel eSIM users are fully satisfied with the service. The other half sees room for improvement, with up to 8% very dissatisfied. Customer support is the biggest area of dissatisfaction, followed by price paid and network data speed. 

4. Wholesale, regulation and data sovereignty: More important than ever

Wholesale partnerships remain fundamental to MVNO competitiveness, but traditional agreements focused primarily on connectivity pricing may no longer provide sufficient flexibility. At the same time, evolving regulatory requirements and growing concerns around data sovereignty are adding complexity to the MVNO operating model.

The conference will explore evolving wholesale models and the transition towards full MVNO architectures, alongside the implications of data ownership, privacy and regulatory compliance. On 5 November, I will join the panel discussion “Data sovereignty for MVNOs – just a reseller or a data controller?” 

Greater wholesale flexibility and control over network capabilities could enable MVNOs to innovate faster and differentiate their services. However, greater operational independence also introduces additional investment requirements, technical complexity and regulatory responsibilities. As MVNOs expand into enterprise connectivity and digital services, data governance and customer trust could become important competitive differentiators.

Putting it all together

While I’ll be looking to see how these dynamics are addressed at MVNO Nation Europe 2026, it would be a mistake to think of them as standalone themes. They are all linked, and their combined effect will help drive future transformation of the MVNO industry.   

If you’ll be joining us in Alicante, reach out – it would be great to connect. I’m expecting it to be an incredibly valuable event.