New data shows that mobile phone users in Australia are turning to MVNOs — mobile virtual network operators that resell connectivity from larger telcos — for their data and call needs.
In fact, according to the data from Kantor Worldpanel ComTech, MVNOs such as Amaysim and Aldi were the only providers to gain ground in terms of total market share, with the major carriers all dropping slightly from their June 2013 standings.
In terms of prepaid, resellers now account for 20 percent of the Australian market, up year-on-year despite the high-profile exit of Kogan Mobile during that time period. When it comes to postpaid, MVNOs have 15.6 percent of the customer base, up from 13.2 percent in 2013.
Amaysim alone now accounts for 7.3 percent of the prepaid market, overtaking Virgin who fell to fourth place with 5.8 percent. Aldi also saw a significant rise from the 2013 data, from 1.2 percent to 3.9 percent in the current results.
The impressive rise of Amaysim rise is notable for the fact the reseller doesn’t offer any 4G connectivity. The company instead has concentrated on customer experience, such as offering three hour delivery for SIM cards in certain areas.
The report from Kantor also notes that Vodafone continues to experience customer churn, losing 14 percent of its prepaid users since June 2013, most of whom have moved on to Telstra.