Soracom published an August 25, 2026 article that lays out the MNO, MVNO, and MVNE split for IoT deployments. It also says its own MVNE business opens the cloud-native core it has run since 2014 to other operators, MVNOs, and enterprises.
The core distinction is simple enough. An MNO owns licensed spectrum, the radio access network, and the core network that authenticates devices and routes traffic. An MVNO buys wholesale capacity from one or more MNOs and adds its own layer for SIM management, billing, customer support, and IoT software tooling.
What Soracom says it is selling through MVNE
Soracom says its MVNE business opens up the cloud-native core network it has run since 2014, including HSS, packet gateway and user plane functions, SMSC, and IMS core. The company says that core is being made available to other mobile network operators, MVNOs, and enterprises that want to run their own MVNO.
Soracom said it announced the MVNE business in July 2026. It also says its subsidiary Misora Connect runs a live MVNO in Japan on the same core network.
How Soracom frames the connectivity choice
The article says the right connectivity model depends on how many regions or countries a deployment covers, how predictable device volumes are, and whether the team has telecom expertise. That is the practical filter Soracom uses to separate a direct carrier deal from an MVNO setup.
For organizations that are on the buying side, the article positions MVNOs as the layer that handles the operational work carriers do not typically provide for IoT. That includes the service management and tooling around the wholesale network relationship.
Read for IoT connectivity teams
The disclosed MVNE move matters for teams that are already comparing carrier relationships with managed virtual-network options. Soracom is not just describing the model; it is saying its own core network is now part of the product surface other operators and enterprises can use.
That gives buyers a concrete reference point for how far an MVNO/MVNE stack can go without a new carrier build. It also shows that Soracom is using its own MVNO operation, including Misora Connect in Japan, as the proof point for that setup.
Lamplight Logistics as the only use-case example
The article uses Lamplight Logistics to illustrate the MVNO model in practice. The company uses Soracom products for worldwide real-time location tracking gateways and remote diagnostics.
Kurt Nehrenz, CEO of Lamplight Logistics, said he feels comfortable shipping gateways anywhere because they will work when plugged in. That line does more work than the surrounding product language: it shows the operational promise the setup is meant to deliver, without needing Soracom to claim more than it disclosed.