Anywhere SIM Launches ‘National Roaming’ MVNO

A new Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) is to launch this summer offering the chance to ‘roam’ between all four major networks in a bid to tackle poor reception.

Anywhere SIM is targeted at mobile users in rural areas or those fond of taking holidays in remote locations such as forests, mountains and the countryside, where coverage can be an issue.

The startup has agreed a partnership with O2, which acts as a ‘home’ network, but also has agreements with EE, Three and Vodafone as well. The service will look for a good 3G signal first and will then revert to 2G if this isn’t possible. 4G is not currently covered but the firm says it’s working on it.

Anywhere SIM MVNO

The experience isn’t seamless however, so if the signal from one operator is lost, users must redial the person they were calling. Anywhere SIM says to offer a more integrated service would require more cooperation from the networks.

The standard service can only use O2 for outgoing communications, with calls charged at 5p per minute, texts at 5p per message and data at 5p per MB, but incoming calls can be received on any network.

The ‘Anywhere UK’ service provides access to all four networks, but calls and data cost double. Finally, the ‘Anywhere EU’ package lets users make calls for 15p per minute, texts for 5p and data for 10p per MB in any EU country. Anywhere SIM doesn’t work outside Europe at present.

In addition to 4G coverage and wider international availability, Anywhere SIM is also looking at pay monthly packages once it sorts out its bill manager. Future developments could also see the company offer an IoT service too.

Anywhere SIM’s offering is remarkably similar to the ‘national roaming’ plans proposed by former Culture Secretary Sajid Javid that would have required the major operators to open up their infrastructure to customers of their rivals. All four companies opposed the plans, instead settling tor a legally-binding commitment to invest a combined £5 billion in boosting coverage across the UK’s geographic area.

Rival 24 Seven offers a similar service for businesses, revealing its own MVNO called ‘Jump’ at the MVNO world congress in Nice earlier this year.

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