What makes Virgin Mobile UK different to O2, H3G, Vodafone and Orange? It does not have its own core infrastructure, nor does it have a spectrum licence; it is a virtual operator. More importantly, Virgin Mobile UK was the first mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) to achieve commercial success.
Since 1999, the MVNO model has been replicated and adapted around the world with varying degrees of success; depending on your precise definition, there are something like 300 MVNOs up and running around the globe.
