What is an MVNO? I don’t know, but I can spell it!

Turn the acronym machine back on, the wireless industry has another one for us; OMV. When I first heard the term a few years ago, I was taken aback by its meaning. Since it didn’t have a “W”, I was wondering how it had anything to do with wireless.

One day I came across its meaning; MVNO is short for Mobile Virtual Network Operator. An MVNO essentially buys service from an existing cellular carrier and resells it under their brand name.

In times past, these types of companies were simply called resellers. A term that needs little or no explanation; a reseller simply “resells” another company’s service. But the slick and simple term “reseller” lacks the sizzle and sophistication that wireless technology demands. After all, this is an industry that creates billion-dollar brands out of misspelled words like Cingular and RAZR.

Below is a brief summary of some of the current MVNOs that are taking advantage of the nation’s most popular cellular networks.

ESPN Mobile, launched during Super Bowl XXL, ESPN’s MVNO offers several sports-related data products. It is aimed at sports fans and will provide real-time sports news and scores, the ability to keep up with fantasy leagues, as well as a wide selection of airtime plans. Sporty features come standard with all plans.

Disney Mobile is planning for kids’ cell phone service to start this summer. The wireless service will be marketed to families with Disney content and family usage controls.

Dexa Wireless: Mexican-owned mobile virtual network operator, launched commercial operations in May 2006 in Los Angeles. The company targets the Hispanic population with prepaid service under its Va Contigo brand. Dexa said that the prepaid service is popular in Mexico and other Latin American countries and that the company believes that the popularity of the prepaid service among Hispanic customers will translate to the US market.

The youth-oriented Helio is touting its tight integration with MySpace.com, as well as the wide range of 3D and 2D games on offer for its phones. The games cost $5.99 to purchase and can be tried for a period of one week for just 99 cents.

Amped Mobile is an integrated mobile entertainment company for teens, young professionals and early adopters, and the only 3G MVNO in the US that specifically targets that demographic. Amp’d Mobile offers traditional services like voice and text as well as many 3G-type services.

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Boost Mobile is a youth lifestyle brand currently focused on offering premium communications products and services. Boost products fuse aspiring youngsters with sports, music, fashion and entertainment. Boost’s popularity with America’s youth has spawned rapid success, making it one of the fastest growing wireless services in the US.

An Apple MVNO is rumored to be on the horizon. There are also many leaked photos of Apple’s secret iPod phone on the net. It seems like a natural extension of the iPod brand.

Virgin Mobile is the largest MVNO in the US, leasing airtime from Sprint and targeting younger, hipper customers. The London-based company is doing brisk business with more than three million US subscribers, and other major media companies are catching up.

7-Eleven Speak Out prepaid service has been advertised as ready for immediate activation and use after purchase. The MVNO has been so successful that 7-Eleven recently started a similar service in Canada, a company spokesman said.