In recent years, there has been a huge increase in alternative operators in the mobile phone market. The flexibility of the market has led to the appearance of so-called virtual mobile operators, which with their low-cost rates have achieved incredible price drops.
The low cost MVNOs do not have their own network, but instead make agreements with companies to use the network of Yoigo, Movistar, Orange or Vodafone. Currently, in Spain it is these four OMRs (real mobile operators) that provide coverage to the rest of the MVNOs by renting their own network infrastructure, although at first they were opposed to the birth of MVNOs in the country.
In 2006, the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) forced the three MNOs that existed at that time (Movistar, Vodafone and Orange) to give reasonable access to the mobile infrastructures of the OMVs.
With Movistar mobile networks
Movistar has two secondary brands under its charge. O2 is the secondary brand of Movistar and uses its coverage. It also maintains Tuenti as a dependent brand that uses its coverage.
Operators with Movistar coverage
Independent MVNOs include Digi, Avatel, Lobster, Telecable and ION mobile, which use Movistar’s mobile network. The Xenet operator, which we will talk about later, also has Movistar coverage in addition to Orange.
With Vodafone coverage
Still the second operator at the national level waiting for the merger between Orange and MásMóvil, it is one of the traditional companies that has fewer virtual mobile operators among its ranks, although they are quite well known. Lowi is the secondary brand dependent on Vodafone.
Operators covered by Vodafone
Among the independent MVNOs, we can highlight Finetwork, OléPhone and Hits Mobile. Interestingly, Lebara, despite being an MVNO of Grupo MásMóvil, uses Vodafone coverage for old customers. Hits Mobile, despite being bought by the MásMóvil Group in 2019, does continue to use that of the red operator.
Coverage Yoigo-MásMóvil
With Yoigo-MásMóvil coverage are, obviously, Yoigo and Más Móvil, as well as Virgin Telco as a secondary brand.
Operators with Vodafone coverage
Among the MVNOs that use their coverage are Pepephone, Llamaya, Adamo, Jiayu, Ahi+, and Lebara. Oceans, MVNO of Grupo MásMóvil since 2020, uses Yoigo coverage. Guuk, created by MásMóvil in 2020, also uses coverage from Yoigo. Euskaltel has also used Yoigo’s mobile network since 2022, as well as R mobil, R Cable’s telephony brand.
Orange coverage
Orange had the resurrection of Amena as a white label, but it disappeared again in 2021. It does still have Simyo, which was bought by Orange in 2012, and Jazztel, bought in 2016. República Móvil was the last one, bought in 2018.
Operators with Orange coverage
Among the independent MVNOs with Orange coverage we find Xenet (you can also choose Movistar), PTV Telecom, Fibracat, Lemmon, Jetnet, SUOP, or DÃgame.
