Update – Apple Denies Plans to Become an MVNO (Apple Testing Their Own Phone Service to Compete With Google’s Project Fi)

UPDATE: Today Apple announced via CNBC that they in fact have no plans to become a MVNO.

 

Back in 2006 Apple filed a patent for MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) service that lead many to believe that Apple would soon be hitting the markets with their own mobile subscription service.

An MVNO is essentially a carrier that piggybacks off of another larger carriers network (think Boost with Sprint, Wal-Mart Family Mobile with T-Mobile, and etc.).  Rather than paying the larger carrier you would pay Apple directly and then Apple would pay the larger carrier

We never got to see what Apple came up with or what it was they were actually testing but several sources close to Apple indicate that Apple has been testing their service here in the US for some time.  Business Insider indicates that they believe the roll out could take at least five years to fully launch.

I for one am interested to see what Apple eventually comes out with and how it compares to Google’s Project Fi.

Source Link: The Verge & Business Insider