High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! A mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) is a company that provides mobile phone services but does not have its own licensed frequency allocation of radio spectrum, nor does it necessarily have all of the infrastructure required to provide mobile telephone service. Conversely, a company that does have frequency allocation(s) and all the required infrastructure to run an independent mobile network is known simply as a mobile network operator (MNO). MVNOs are roughly equivalent to the "switchless resellers" of the traditional landline telephone market. An MNO that does not have a frequency spectrum allocation in a particular geographical region may operate as an MVNO in that region.