Virgin Mobile South Africa feels confident enough in its business model that it now wants some competition in the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) space. The company claims to have gained half a million subscribers in the two years since its introduction in 2006. The company expects to acquire 603 000 subscribers by the end of the year.

"We think it would be a good thing if strong brands in South Africa entered the MVNO market. It would give consumers choice and allow them to buy telecoms services from brands with which they identify," says CEO Peter Boyd. Currently, Virgin Mobile is the only MVNO operating in Africa, he says. There are 185 MVNOs in Europe and the Scandinavia/Russia region, 42 in the Americas and 18 more in the rest of the world, he says.