Virtual Network Operator

More than seven years have passed when the issue of virtual network operator (VNO) emerged for the first time in India. On March 8, 2008, Virgin Mobile, a UK based Mobile VNO (MVNO) launched the MVNO services using Tata Teleservices (TTSL)’s network. They could not have done this as MVNO policy did not exist. Both Tata and Virgin had then maintained that it was not MVNO services but franchisee services, which Tata had claimed was allowed under the existing licenses.

For some reasons, the government ignored this breach, but then it was under pressure to open the MVNO for other players too. On March 20, 2008 the DoT asked Trai to initiate consultation process on this. That is how the concept of MVNO emerged in India. Since then many committees were set up in the DoT, Telecom Commission and many times Trai has given its recommendations, but there was no rollouts on the ground. In the meantime, even Virgin Mobile packed up from India.