Future Network Telecommunication (FNT) is operating an MVNO in Saudi Arabia, under the branding of Red Bull Mobile. This brand is licensed from Red Bull Media House, and it’s now the fastest-growing MVNO in the region of Middle East. Co-Founder and CEO, Sulaiman Al Musallam, shares the exact strategy they’ve used to achieve such rapid growth and success.
Capitalising on regional market developments
In 2020 the Saudi telecom regulator began seeking more mobile operators in Saudi Arabia. This was being driven by the 2030 Saudi vision, which is an initiative aiming to draw 50 million visitors to Saudi Arabia by 2030.
So, the regulator opened a bid process for two new MVNOs. At the time, the Saudi market consisted of three MNOs, including Zain and Mobileye, and two MVNOs in Lebara and Virgin Mobile.
And one of the conditions from the Saudi telecommunicator was to onboard an international brand to Saudi with experience in the telecoms sector.
Sulaiman Al Musallam, CEO of FNT (SA): “We immediately formed a Saudi consortium partnered with Red Bull Media House, who owned the Red Bull Mobile brand, which is already active in Poland, Austria, and Oman. And at the beginning of 2021, FNT with Red Bull Mobile was selected as one of the winners of that bid process.”
“Red Bull Mobile won the MVNO license in Saudi for many reasons. The most important was the excitement of the Red Bull Mobile brand. Another key reason was the trust in our ability to deliver a fresh approach to the Saudi telecom market.”
Launching the brand with a bang
FNT officially launched Red Bull Mobile in Saudi Arabia in 2022, and the launch was used as a key device for attracting high volumes of customers immediately.
At the launch, FNT introduced with the brand a telecoms currency called gigacoin. This is a unique incentive that allows customers to use their gigabytes for more than just mobile data. With the gigacoin, Red Bull Mobile customers can participate in games, competitions, and even certain “money-can’t-buy” experiences within the world of Red Bull’s sports and entertainment.
Red Bull Mobile was also launched with a full rebate portfolio, providing multiple bundles at different price points.
SA: “While positioning ourselves at the higher end of the market, we made sure we have a very attractive value proposition for different market segments, including young people, digital-savvy customers, and also for families.”
A fully digital customer experience
From the beginning, Red Bull Mobile has offered customers and partners in Saudi a fully digital service.
SA: “For our customers, we have a mobile app that allows them to onboard seamlessly, and also manage their customer experience end-to-end”.
“For our partners, we have a sales app, which is essential in supporting our direct and indirect sales partners. This lets them onboard customers efficiently and provides a unique digital experience for them.”
To enhance customer convenience, FNT has also introduced eSIM technology, allowing Red Bull Mobile users to activate their service instantly without the need for a physical SIM card. This provides greater flexibility and a seamless onboarding experience to customers.
Top tips and success factors for a new MVNO
Sulaiman shared some of the key strategies and tactics that FNT has used to grow Red Bull Mobile in Saudi Arabia:
SA: “First of all, we’re able to build a winning team. We built a unique value proposition, as we truly understand what our customer needs. Despite being a small MVNO, thanks to our knowledge of the complex channel market in Saudi, we’re able to be at the forefront of local customer acquisition. We also built a state-of-the-art BSS and digital environment from scratch, allowing us to be flexible for all the services that we provide.”
Red Bull Mobile stands out as one of the few MVNOs in Saudi Arabia offering a comprehensive rebate and post-paid portfolio. By integrating exclusive video content into its plans, the brand not only enhances user engagement, but also strengthens its competitive edge against more established market players.
“And, last but not least, thanks to our partners at Red Bull, we have a team who understands how to deliver experiences rather than just telecom products.”
Leveraging partner brands
FNT’s partnership with Red Bull has been another key driver of the new MVNO’s success.
Red Bull is a global brand renowned for its creativity and unique approach to engaging customers across a variety of industries.
Working closely with Red Bull, FNT’s Red Bull Mobile MVNO has leveraged the opportunities to drive great publicity and customer engagement in Saudi Arabia.
This has included Red Bull F1 driver Max Verstappen endorsing the brand in an advert that announced the launch. They’ve since worked with other famous Red Bull brand ambassadors to drive positive brand awareness and grow their customer base.
Cultural events have also provided similar opportunities.
SA: “We were so proud to deliver a Ramadan campaign for the brand as well. Ramadan is a special event in Saudi, and we used that to engage and resonate with our customers. This got a very positive reaction, not only from our customers but also from a wide range of people who saw the campaign.”
An agile, innovative culture is also key
A fast time-to-market has been influential in FNT’s success with launching Red Bull Mobile in Saudi.
SA: “An MVNO must be agile and have a culture that allows creative ideas to emerge and be delivered quickly. We want to constantly surprise our customers with new, exciting services and products.”
“That’s been possible for us thanks to our start-up mentality, and also our open door policy, where everyone in the company has the opportunity to contribute and influence what we do.”
An “unusual as usual” value proposition
The Red Bull Mobile MVNO brand in Saudi is based on providing customers with “unusual as usual” experiences and offers.
Some examples of this include allowing customers the opportunity to participate in national sporting events, including soccer, F1, and more extreme sports that have become so closely associated with the global Red Bull brand.
These initiatives are an excellent way to present the brand as more than just an MVNO to customers, but a fun, exciting provider of unique experiences.
The results
Six months after the launch, Red Bull Mobile already reached 250,000 customers in Saudi. And it only took them 16 months to reach their first 1,000,000 customers.
That makes Red Bull Mobile the fastest-growing MVNO in the region of the Middle East.
Sulaiman and his team have since been given the best customer experience strategy award at the Saudi Customer Experience Awards in 2024.
Building on success
FNT has no plans of slowing down, but will rather look to compound their growth and build on their recent success.
SA: “We have a lot of very exciting plans for 2025, as we look to continue providing an “unusual as usual” value proposition. To maintain our position as the fastest-growing MVNO in the Middle East, we’re entering a game-changing partnership with Al Hilal SFC, the most successful football team in Saudi.”
This strategic partnership is set to amplify Red Bull Mobile’s market presence, leveraging Al Hilal SFC’s large fan base to drive brand awareness and attract a broader spectrum of customers across Saudi Arabia.
FNT will also be transitioning to a new host operator in 2025, to improve their network quality and provide an even better service to customers.
Key takeaways: FNT’s success with Red Bull Mobile proves that launching and scaling an MVNO rapidly is achievable with the right formula: a meticulously crafted strategy, strong alliances with globally recognised brands, a compelling value proposition enriched with exclusive incentives, and a business culture that embraces agility and innovation.
By delivering a truly immersive customer experience, Red Bull Mobile has redefined the standards for MVNOs in the Middle East.
