“What we have observed since the pandemic began is that this crisis became a kind of boost for virtual mobile operators, because they have a very attractive rate for the pockets of Mexicans, who are quite affected, by offering attractive packages for packaging, ”said Rolando Alamilla, market research manager for the consulting firm The Ciu.
What is the best MVNO in Mexico by price?
In a comparison of prepaid plans carried out by Expansion, OMVs have a more attractive and affordable packaging for users.
For example, Telcel Max Sin Límite 1000 has a cost of 229 pesos per month and allows users to have unlimited calls and messages, as well as browsing social networks and 1GB to surf the internet.
While Bait, for 200 pesos a month, offers users unlimited Internet browsing, as well as making calls, sending messages and using social networks.
For recharges of 50 pesos, Telcel offers 400MB for internet browsing and unlimited calls and messages, while Bait allows the user to browse the internet and social networks in an unlimited way, as well as have calls and messages.
In the case of Izzi, Televisa’s MVNO, for 250 pesos, it offers unlimited data, navigation to all social networks and the internet, calls and messages.
FreedomPop, Dish’s MVNO, for 200 pesos a month gives users unlimited calls and messages, as well as browsing to social networks and having up to 1.5 GB of 4G internet.
For its part, AT&T, with its Armalo plan, which allows users to design their own package, for 239 pesos a month consumers have access to 3GB, as well as to choose only three unlimited social networks as well as calls and messages. It also has a cost of 300 pesos to activate the plan.
“There is a huge difference in the rates that MVNOs have compared to traditional (operators), for example, Telcel in prepaid data is very high because in a plan of 200 pesos a user is paying almost 10 pesos per GB ”Says Alamilla.
For experts, the rate differences that exist between virtual mobile operators compared to traditional ones are due to the fact that MVNOs do not have the obligation to pay for the spectrum, while companies such as AT&T need a return on the investment of the bands. That allows them to put together more accessible packages.
In addition, OMV like Bait from Walmart see their telephony product as a way to retain their users through promotions such as giving away megabytes for each purchase they make.
“At a time when you have inflation and MVNOs can give lower prices, because Altán gives low rates to MVNOs to use infrastructure, of course users will go to MVNOs,” says Jorge Fernando Negrete, president of Digital Policy Law.