Sonopia isn't dead, it's just hibernating

reports of MVNO Sonopia’s death have been greatly exaggerated. Well, maybe not greatly, but they certainly aren’t true, according to founder Juha Christensen. Instead, they’re just cutting nearly every cost in a hibernation-like move. Once the U.S. market warms up to MVNOs — which could be years — then Christensen will head back into business.

“U.S. consumers have not warmed up to MVNOs, there really hasn’t been an MVNO that has shown the way and made a spectacular success out of it, and in Europe, you’ve seen MVNOs play a role in each of the main markets — sooner or later that will happen in the US,” he said.

This jibes with employee Tapio Anttila’s quote: “The model proved to be too ambitious and perhaps ahead of its time on the U.S. market.” Christen has alternate plans to expand into Europe — it would be closer to his development offices in Ukraine, at least. ]]>