We’re Very Optimistic About the Ongoing Success of the MVNO Market and Are Constantly Adapting to the Changes and Innovations That We Face: Jonathan Horovitz, Founder of Atrium Unlimited, LLC

Atrium Unlimited, LLC is an award-winning consulting firm specializing in the wireless telecom sector, offering strategic guidance to MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators), carriers, handset manufacturers, construction firms, wholesalers, and master dealers. The firm has advised industry leaders such as Deloitte, Bain, Univision, pdvWireless, Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T, while its strategic efforts have contributed to mergers and acquisitions backed by venture capital firms. With expertise in differentiation, distribution, and regulatory coordination, Atrium helps clients achieve sustainable growth.

A Scholar Member of the Gerson Lehrman Consulting Group and affiliated with Coleman Research Group, Alpha Insights, and The Alternative Board Company of New Jersey, Atrium remains at the forefront of wireless consulting. Expanding its reach, the firm is preparing for new product launches in telemedicine and wireless accessories, further strengthening its industry presence.

SME Business Review reached out to Jonathan Horovitz, founder and Principal Consultant of Atrium Unlimited, LLC, for an interview to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the MVNO industry and how his consultancy helps businesses launch, operate, and grow by providing strategic guidance and practical solutions. Here’s what Mr. Horovitz had to say.

Interview Excerpts

Could you elaborate on how Atrium Unlimited, LLC was founded and discuss the initial vision behind its establishment?

After leaving Nextel Communications as Area Vice President for seven years in 2005, I purchased an MVNO and learned the business from the ground up. We started with about 1,500 post-paid subscribers and were able to grow the business significantly before exiting three years later. I rejoined the corporate side of wireless mobility for a few years until I was downsized and decided to put 100 percent of my efforts into Atrium Unlimited Consulting. We started growing during the pandemic as parents and their children were working and doing schoolwork from home and needed connectivity, and then started doing more social media, writing articles for a few trade magazines, speaking at wireless industry events, and topped it off with The Boon of Wireless podcast in February 2024 (www.theboonofwireless.com). Here we are today with multiple employees and contractors with clients in about eight countries around the world!

As an award-winning consultancy firm, what are Atrium Unlimited’s key focus areas?

To leverage my experience as an MVNO owner, we chose to focus specifically on entrepreneurs looking to enter the growing MVNO market. Joining the space has become easier due to relaxed regulatory requirements, competitive wholesale pricing from the carriers, and many vendors offering ‘MVNO-in-a-Box’ programs.

A lot of people want to start an MVNO without really understanding the time and financial commitment (more on this later).

We also represent a half dozen or so companies that have products and services that can create additional revenue streams for wireless providers, MVNOs, and Master Agents. MVNOs need to differentiate themselves from others by adding value so a subscriber can make an informed decision when switching carriers (or MVNOs). 

How does Atrium Unlimited tailor its consulting services to address the unique challenges faced by MVNOs, carriers, and master agents in the mobile space?

We receive many calls weekly from both entrepreneurs with a great marketing idea as well as people who think that they have found the ‘next Ryan Reynolds (Mint Mobile).’ Some want to compete as an MVNO solely on price, while others just think starting an MVNO is a quick cash grab. Either way, we ask every prospect the following two questions right off the bat:

1. What is your differentiator?

2. What is your distribution strategy?

First, there are more mobile devices in use in the United States than there are men, women, and children. What makes your MVNO different? Why should I leave Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, or other MVNOs for your service? What is your value proposition? Will you provide free calls to my home country or areas where I do business? Is roaming included? Do you cater to my specific needs?

Second is distribution. Brick-and-mortar stores are costly, and digital advertising is not only overcrowded but also becoming more expensive. Successful MVNOs like Visible and Mint Mobile operate entirely online, avoiding costs like leases, staff, and limited shopping hours. Being ‘open’ 24/7 allows them to save money, which they invest in advertising and promotions. Some long-standing MVNOs have shifted exclusively to e-commerce, abandoning their indirect distribution model. Although their volume may have decreased, they became more profitable.

What strategies does Atrium Unlimited implement to ensure long-term profitability and customer retention for its clients?

We at Atrium Unlimited Consulting work together with our clients to provide the best consulting services possible. From the initial vetting process, we meet with every client to discuss potential challenges, financial commitments, and our collaborative plan. We create a written SOW (Statement of Work) and establish timelines. We don’t simply connect vendors with the MVNOs; we actively participate in meetings and manage all follow-ups, whether it be with the carrier, regulatory people, or one of the many other pillars needed to be a successful MVNO. That is how we retain our clients.

Launching a licensed MVNO with a direct carrier can take up to a year before generating any revenue. MVNOs must commit for the long term despite facing inevitable setbacks. Our staff is highly experienced and understands all the components and potential challenges of bringing a new MVNO to market.

To be truthful, we turn down more clients than we accept.

Will Atrium Unlimited be launching any new services that we should be aware of?

At Atrium Unlimited Consulting, we strive to innovate and bring real value to our clients. We are currently working to launch two very innovative MVNOs that could possibly change the landscape of what is now known as traditional MVNOs.

We are also going to be introducing a couple of new products in the telemedicine and accessory space that, when properly executed, will have a dramatically positive impact on the wireless provider’s bottom line. These are launching in both the first and second quarters of 2025. Look for announcements at www.atriumunlimited.com.

Could you provide an example of a recent success story where Atrium Unlimited’s services significantly impacted a client’s growth or business outcomes?

Our biggest challenge occurred in 2022 when we received a notice that the Nigerian Telecommunications Commission had decided to open its telecom market to MVNOs. We were contacted by a fairly large broadband company in Lagos serving about 60,000 customers. They wanted to apply for a license and had literally waited until the last minute. They tasked us with understanding all of their government’s requirements, submitting the application, and helping to define their go-to-market strategy.

We had a very limited amount of time to complete this, and coupled with the time difference and language barriers, it could have been a recipe for disaster. We pulled people from other projects and completed a three-month project remotely in about three weeks. The good news is that, due to our efforts, they were awarded a license. When they came back to ask for help in getting launched, we politely declined due to the stress it had placed on our organization.

Lesson learned: while we are very good at what we do, we learned to ‘stay in our lane’ and not accept consultations that we are not experts in. The positive takeaway was that we proved we could excel at working with international clients, and we continue to do so today.

What are your long-term goals for Atrium Unlimited, and how do you anticipate the company expanding its influence and impact in the wireless telecom space?

We continue to surpass our revenue and profitability goals year after year. We are very optimistic about the ongoing success of the MVNO market and are constantly adapting to the changes and innovations that we face. We have increased our headcount, both with direct employees and contractors, and have built new partnerships with product and service providers of all three U.S. carriers and their aggregators. 

We have also branched out into other countries and markets around the world with clients who are both looking to expand their product and service offerings to the United States as well as bring a current foreign-based MVNO to the U.S. 

Do you have any final thoughts or comments before we conclude?

Our philosophy is straightforward: staying ahead in the MVNO industry. As the market evolves, companies that adapt to client needs and industry trends will thrive. Atrium Unlimited Consulting understands these complexities and is committed to remaining a long-term player in this space.

Jonathan Horovitz | Founder & Principal Consultant

Jonathan (Jon) Horovitz has been a senior executive in the wireless industry for over 34 years. He has held leadership roles in sales and operations at McCaw Communications, AT&T Wireless, Nextel, Boost Mobile, and Sprint. In addition to owning an MVNO, he has played a key role in the start-up of many others.

In 2022, Jon was named United States Ambassador to MVNO Nation, a London-based organization supporting over 6,000 professionals in the MVNO ecosystem. His consulting firm, Atrium Unlimited, LLC, advises carriers, MVNOs, investment bankers, and venture capitalists looking to enter the wireless sector. He also writes a biweekly column for BestMVNO (www.BestMVNO.com) and hosts the widely followed podcast The Boon of Wireless (www.theboonofwireless.com).

At Atrium Unlimited Consulting, we strive to innovate and bring real value to our clients. We are currently working to launch two very innovative MVNOs that could possibly change the landscape of what is now known as traditional MVNOs.

Our staff is highly experienced and understands all the components and potential challenges of bringing a new MVNO to market.