Apple to launch its own virtual mobile network service in US and in Europe

#MVNO#MobileNetwork–Apple to launch its own virtual mobile network service in US and in Europe :Close on the heels of Google’s Project Fi, there are now reports of Apple following suit by launching its own virtual mobile network in the United States and in Europe and becoming a mobile network operator.

Google will be launching its own mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), dubbed Project Fi, later this year, which is being touted as a “network of networks.

An MVNO is basically a virtual carrier network wherein technology companies can lease space from carriers and sell it directly to their own customers. Google’s Project Fi will allow its users to automatically connect to either a WiFi hotspot or its 4G or 3G partner network, based on the strongest available signal.

According to Business Insider, Apple is also holding discussions with operators and conducting trials of its own MVNO, in order to offer mobile services to owners of iPhones and iPads in the United States and in Europe.

Using an embedded digital SIM card in the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3, users will be able to switch between networks offering the strongest signal, and pay Apple directly for using the services instead of the operators.

Subscribers to Apple’s MVNO will be able to enjoy all the services currently being offered by their carriers, along with the option of seamlessly switching between carriers with the best offerings. Apple’s MVNO subscribers will not need to make any monthly payments to carriers and can instead pay for their use of data, calls, and texts directly to Apple.

Apple is reportedly also working on another new service dubbed iCloud Voicemail, which will allow Siri to take unanswered calls and then send a text form of the transcribed message to the user.

Apple is currently testing the service, which could be rolled out in 2016, and will be an important part of the company’s MVNO offering.