Speaker preview: Muslim Elkotob, Principal Solutions Architect, Vodafone
Most MVNO–MNO conversations still start and end with the wholesale rate card. Muslim Elkotob, Principal Solutions Architect at Vodafone, argues that’s now the least interesting part of the relationship. Writing from the operator side, he makes the case for MNOs and MVNOs to stop negotiating as supplier and customer and start building together. That means co-innovating on IoT, security and AI-powered services, and selling business outcomes rather than connectivity.
“Changemakers’ roundtables: MVNOs, built for the new era of connectivity”, including Roundtable 3: Practical applications of AI for MVNOs in current and future networks
Wednesday 4 November 2026 · 14:30 · MVNO Nation Europe 2026, Alicante, Spain (view agenda)
From partnership to ecosystem: the next growth model for MVNOs and MNOs
The European MVNO market has reached an important inflection point. For many years, growth was largely driven by customer acquisition, niche positioning, and competitive pricing. While these fundamentals remain relevant, they are no longer sufficient to create sustainable differentiation.
The next phase of growth will be defined by something far more powerful: the ability of MVNOs and MNOs to collaborate as ecosystem partners rather than operate as participants in a traditional supplier-customer relationship.
Beyond the wholesale conversation
Historically, MVNO-MNO discussions have focused on wholesale models, commercial terms, and network access. These topics will always matter, but they should no longer be the center of the conversation. The real opportunity lies in creating shared value through innovation, joint go-to-market strategies, and complementary capabilities.
MVNOs bring agility, customer intimacy, and the ability to address highly targeted market segments. MNOs contribute network assets, scale, operational excellence, and continued investment in connectivity platforms. When these strengths are aligned, the result is not simply a better commercial relationship. It is the creation of an ecosystem capable of delivering new services, entering new markets, and addressing emerging customer needs.
Where the opportunity is clearest: enterprise and IoT
This opportunity is particularly visible in enterprise and IoT markets. As organizations accelerate digital transformation, they increasingly require integrated solutions rather than standalone connectivity. Connectivity, cloud, cybersecurity, analytics, automation, and AI are converging into a single value proposition. No single player can address this landscape alone.
Success will increasingly depend on how effectively MNOs and MVNOs combine their capabilities to develop industry-specific solutions and deliver measurable business outcomes. The winners will be those who position connectivity as an enabler of digital transformation rather than a product in its own right.
eSIM is the enabler, not the differentiator
The continued adoption of eSIM technology reinforces this shift. eSIM reduces barriers to onboarding, simplifies service delivery, and creates greater flexibility for enterprises and consumers alike. However, eSIM alone is not the differentiator. Competitive advantage will come from the ecosystems, digital experiences, and value-added services built around it.
Three priorities for MVNOs and MNOs
To unlock this potential, three priorities stand out.
First, move from wholesale discussions to co-innovation. Partners should jointly explore growth areas such as IoT, AI-powered services, industry solutions, digital identity, and security. Shared innovation creates stronger propositions and accelerates time-to-market.
Second, embrace platform-based collaboration. Open APIs, digital platforms, and interoperable service architectures allow partners to innovate faster and scale more efficiently. Openness enables ecosystem growth.
Third, align around customer outcomes. Customers are increasingly focused on business value, not technology ownership. The most successful partnerships will be those that simplify complexity and solve real business challenges.
Not a zero-sum game
Looking ahead, the most successful organizations will not necessarily be the largest operators or the fastest-growing brands. They will be the ones that cultivate trusted partnerships, foster innovation ecosystems, and create mutual value across the connectivity landscape.
The future of the MVNO industry is not a zero-sum game. It is a shared growth opportunity. Those who embrace a win-win ecosystem mindset today will be best positioned to lead the next era of connectivity tomorrow.
Join Muslim’s roundtable at MVNO Nation Europe 2026
Day 2 · Wednesday 4 November 2026 · 10:30
Panel: IoT eSIM in the hands of MVNOs—how to make the most of it
Delegates will learn what SGP.32 can actually deliver today, where multi-vendor deployments still break, and which parts of the eSIM stack an MVNO should own versus source or partner for. They’ll leave with a practical view of how to build an IoT eSIM go-to-market that protects margin while keeping enterprise customers free to switch devices, operators or platforms.
Panellists: Steffen Sorrell, Chief of Research, Kaleido Intelligence; Mikk Lemberg, CPO, 1oT; John Haynes, CEO, MDS Global; Muslim Elkotob, Principal Solutions Architect, Vodafone
Day 2 · Wednesday 4 November 2026 · 14:30
Roundtable 3: Practical applications of AI for MVNOs in current and future networks, part of the Changemakers’ roundtables: MVNOs, built for the new era of connectivity session, moderated by Ian Ginn, Founder & Director, IFG Consulting Europe. Roundtable 3 is led by Muslim Elkotob, Principal Solutions Architect, Vodafone.
Muslim names AI-powered services as one of the first places MVNOs and MNOs should be co-innovating. This is where that conversation gets practical. Delegates split into small groups by area of interest, work through the question with peers around the table, and each group shares its learnings with the room at the end of the session.
MVNO Nation Europe 2026 · 3–5 November 2026 · Hotel Meliá Villaitana, Alicante, Spain Register now →
