Startup MVNO MobileX is going after the US market with the belief that most mobile subscribers don’t know how much data they need. Instead of pushing unlimited plans, the company offers an AI-based tool that analyzes each subscriber’s usage and creates personalized plans for them. 

I spoke with MobileX CEO Peter Adderton last year, and now he’s spilling the beans on what’s been happening with MobileX, its plans for 2024, and the company’s exciting new deal with Walmart. Listen now to hear:    

• How MobileX's AI-based data forecaster tool debunks the idea that consumers understand their data needs [02:18];
• Strategies for using two SIMs, a primary and secondary, to lower costs while maintaining coverage [06:20];
• The impact of MobileX's new agreement with Walmart [10:04];
• What’s next for the company’s technology and marketing [12:35].

Links and Resources

• Visit the MobileX website to learn more about the company.
• Listen to my conversation with Peter in 2023 in Telco in 20 episode 58, Live and Learn: A new MVNO approach with Peter Adderton.
• Learn about Totogi’s PlanAI product—and how to get your hands on our ML model that can predict churn 6 weeks in advance!
• Follow @peter_adderton on X—he’s a great person to follow and is constantly dropping great insights about how to build a great MVNO.
• The best part about following Peter? When he shares his real life-struggles with building MobileX or his wins with how people are swapping to MobileX.
• Learn more about the upcoming MVNO Summit at Mobile World Congress 2024. Totogi is a Platinum sponsor, along with Amdocs (of all companies—can you believe it?). Let’s meet while we’re there!
• Peter and I have strong opinions on whether or not mobile phones should be allowed in schools. Check out these letters to the New York Times on school cell phone bans:
  • Should Schools Ban Cellphones?
  • When Students’ Cellphones ‘Colonize Their Minds
• Last year, Peter and US Mobile CEO Ahmed Khattak exchanged words after their Telco in 20 episodes ran. They have different views about whether consumers know how much data they use, and they took their disagreement to Twitter. It reminds me of the Netflix show Beef, which just won a bunch of Golden Globes and Emmys!
• Check out this episode on our YouTube channel.
• You can find the transcript for this episode here.

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This week’s guest

About Peter Adderton

Peter Adderton is founder and CEO of MobileX, a wireless brand positioned to disrupt the wireless industry. He is the driving force behind two of the most successful youth brands established in the mobile industry—Boost Mobile and Amp’d Mobile. Peter catapulted the Boost brand to become one of the fastest growing wireless brands in its category in all markets with annual revenues over $500M and more than five million subscribers.

Podcast Credits

• Executive Producer and Host: Danielle Rios Royston, TelcoDR
• Senior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo Media
• Editor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard Marketing
• Editing: Andrew Condell
• Associate Producer: Kriselda Dionisio
• Music: Dyami Wilson