Dutch MVNO Youfone has made some changes in its data bundles. Bundles of 500 MB, 700 MB and 5000 MB will no longer be offered while a bundle of 6000 MB will be added. The MVNO now provides bundles of 1000 MB, 1500 MB, 2000 MB and 6000 MB. All non-4G bundles will now cost the same, regardless of whether they come with a contract that can be terminated on a monthly basis or with a two-year contract. Speeds for the 4G bundles has been increased, from 50/25 Mbps to 256/150 Mbps.

Tarifica’s Take

MVNOs, once the province of the budget-minded consumers who emphasized voice calls and messaging over data consumption, are now definitively in the big-data business. Being averse to long contracts no longer implies being averse to heavy mobile internet use, and Youfone’s new suite of data bundles appears to respond to this trend. By eliminating small packages and adding even larger ones, the MVNO is catering to the needs of its customers, encouraging more data consumption, and maximizing the use of its networks, both 4G and non-4G. Increasing speeds is also a good way to promote more data use. And by pricing all non-4G bundles the same, the operator is clearly incentivizing customers to use enough data so that they will decide that non-4G is no longer fast enough to accommodate their needs and therefore make the switch to 4G.