Apple could be launching its own MVNO in the U.S. and Europe

According to a report published on Monday, Apple is in talks to provide talk, text and data to iPhone and iPad users through an MVNO that it would start up in the U.S. and Europe. Instead of paying your current carrier for service each month, you would pay Apple. A special SIM card inside your iOS device would allow your phone to switch to the participating carrier providing the best signal at any given moment.

This happens to be the same thing that Google is doing with its Project Fi MVNO. Project Fi uses a special SIM card inside the Nexus 6 to help the handset choose between the T-Mobile and Sprint network, depending on which one has the stronger signal at the moment. The Apple iPad Air 2 and the Apple iPad mini 3 both use the Apple SIM card which allows users to switch carriers quickly and easily on models purchased through Apple. It is possible that some version of the Apple SIM will be used for the MVNO.

People knowledgeable with Apple's plans say that the tech titan has been privately testing out this service for some time in the U.S., and is also talking with European carriers about offering the MVNO there. Today's report also mentions that Apple is testing iCloud Voicemail, a service that would use Siri to transcribe voicemail messages. This is actually a big clue revealing Apple's intentions to start an MVNO. Currently, voicemail is stored with your carrier. If the MVNO does become reality and you subscribe to it, you won't be paying your carrier anymore so it would make sense for Apple to take control of your voicemail.

Google charges Project Fi subscribers $20 per month for unlimited talk and text with a flat rate of $10 for each GB of data. Refunds are made for data paid for, but not used during the month. So far, there is no speculation on how much Apple might charge for an MVNO of its own.

source: BusinessInsider