Tom Leins

Tom Leins is a Senior Research Analyst for TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database. Based out of the company’s UK office, he also contributes to the company’s daily CommsUpdate newsletter, which includes his popular weekly MVNO Monday round-up. MVNO industry aside, Tom has developed a strong specialization in the U.S., Latin America, and the Caribbean, tracking mergers and acquisitions, spectrum auctions, regulatory developments, market opportunities, and growth trends.

Recent Posts

The French Billionaire Who Quietly Amassed an International Telecom Empire

French billionaire Xavier Niel rose to prominence in the telecom world for his ownership of domestic telco Iliad. You might know Iliad for sparking a price war in the mobile sector when Iliad’s Free Mobile launched in January 2012. (Niel employed a similar price-war tactic when Iliad Italia launched in May 2018.)

But these companies only represent the tip of the iceberg.

Indeed, the size and scale of Niel’s empire are often overlooked due to convoluted shareholder structures and the lack of a unified brand name across markets.

Today we piece it all together to appreciate the bigger picture.

The Biggest Telecom Headlines From 2019: Part 2

We've been celebrating the launch of our beautiful new CommsUpdate site by taking a closer look at the year’s major global developments—the highs, the lows, the mergers, the auctions. All of it.

One thing is certain: there was more than enough telecom news to go around in 2019. If you haven't had a chance to peruse our wrap-up of January-June 2019, click here and have a read. Keep scrolling to take in the biggest news from the back half of the year.

The Biggest Telecom Headlines From 2019: Part 1

A year is a long time in telecommunications–something that our CommsUpdate correspondents know all too well.

To celebrate the launch of our beautiful new CommsUpdate site, we’re taking a closer look at the year’s major global developments, including a few things that you might have missed along the way.

Keep scrolling to catch up on the biggest headlines from early 2019.

How a Slough Company Quietly Secured 5G Spectrum in Major Markets Around the World

While all eyes are on the 5G plans of the world’s largest mobile network operators, a little-known UK-based player has built up a significant stockpile of valuable 5G-suitable spectrum in a number of key markets globally.

The Future of MVNOs in Europe

This month saw the 16th annual MVNOs Europe event take place at the Victoria Park Plaza in London.

I was glad to connect with representatives from some of the region’s top virtual operators, network operators, tech vendors, and solution providers.

Here’s what I learned.

The Changing Face of the U.S. MVNO Market

The United States boasts one of the largest MVNO markets in the world and has hosted hundreds of disparate virtual operators and sub-brands over the last two decades. As the broader retail telecom market evolves, so does the MVNO sector.

Today we look at the competitive environment and the players shaping the U.S. MVNO industry.

The Rise of Grupo MASMOVIL

Spanish alternative telecom operator Grupo MASMOVIL is poised to acquire a strategic stake in Portuguese cableco Nowo and sister company Onitelecom (ONI).

Today, we chart Grupo MASMOVIL’s progression from regional B2B minnow to cross-border Iberian deal-maker.

Can Red Compartida Disrupt the Mexican Mobile Market?

Mexico’s open-access mobile network provider Red Compartida is approaching the 50% coverage milestone. I can think of no better time to take a closer look at Red Compartida’s business model and track its progress to date.

How Telefonica Hung Up on Central America

After months of speculation linking Spanish telecom giant Telefonica to a sale of its Central American operations, in January and February 2019 the group agreed to offload all five of its units in the region. Today we look at the deals in question and evaluate how they’ll impact the competitive landscape in Central America.

Innovative Ideas, Ambitious New Strategies Out of MVNOs World Congress 2019

It’s been a bruising start to the year for the global MVNO market. A number of virtual operators have been squeezed out of the sector or swallowed up by larger rivals.

But after spending a few days with representatives from the world’s top virtual operators, network operators, vendors, and tech developers at the 18th annual MVNOs World Congress in Amsterdam, I left feeling confident about the health of the MVNO industry.

These highlights should explain why.

 

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