Do They Have Their Own Network?

We already know about the carriers that use "The same network at half the price," but we discovered a few small networks that sold their network and didn't tell you.  This isn't some devious plan to fool us, it's just another question you have to ask when you sign up with one of our favored local carriers.  I now ask, "Do you have your own network?"  The answer should be something like, "Sure, we have 56 cell sites," or the like, and you move on from there.

In most cases, when one of these small carriers decides to discontinue service, they just disappear and the "wireless department" is let go.  In a growing number of others, the wireless people in the office are still there and still sell phones and plans, but the network has been turned over to someone else.  These carriers become a Mobile Virtual Network Operator or "MVNO" and, unless you ask, will continue to present themselves as the "local" carrier.

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In some cases this is just fine.  We like MVNO's and they often come up with better prices.  A few don't.  Some of these carriers keep the local Customer Service staff and may be more responsive to local customers than the national carriers using far-away service agents.  So it's not a bad thing.  When we discover a network that has turned over their physical network to somebody else, we delete them from the Mountain Wireless Carrier Reviews and add them to the "Same Network, Different Carrier" List.  Just don't be afraid to ask, "Do you have your own network."  We ask on a regular basis.