Why some packages are cheaper than others, how does a telephone operator work? Can he watch me? We went to meet Syma, a low-cost operator who opened its doors to us to learn more about the telecom industry.
Last May, we had the chance to visit the data center of low-cost virtual operator Syma. This visit allowed us to understand, on a smaller scale, how a more traditional operator operated, what were its constraints, its operating costs and above all how the network was redistributed to its customers. Other questions have come to the table, such as legal issues: (downloading, relations with the authorities, etc.) and other more structural ones such as the profitability of virtual operators. On this occasion, we were able to meet one of the managers of the Syma Data Center in the Paris region.
We invite you to discover our video on this subject to learn more.
Why virtual operators are cheaper?
Virtual operators (or MVNOs) are operators of the national antenna network, those of the four main operators (MNOs): Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free. Consequently, their operating costs are much lower than the latter and have more latitude regarding their prices. We must also take into account the labor costs which are much lower, inevitably, the global teams being greatly reduced.
The case of Syma is quite special, because the operator is the only MVNO on the French market to have its own core network. The more traditional MVNOs usually have a simple economic model based on the marketing of packages without worrying about technical aspects that this entails. The watchword is: everyone has their own strategy. The fact remains that if the means are put in place to no longer depend 100% on a traditional operator, it is because the game is worth the candle.
Is my operator monitoring me?
During our visit, we were able to ask more cross-cutting questions about an operator’s activity and among them was the question of the report to the authorities. As we know, the relationship between the police and the operators can play a key role in detecting crimes (location, sites visited, calls made, etc.). The legitimate question to ask therefore remains the following: can my operator see what I am doing on my smartphone? Again, we were able to get answers from Syma that were more specific and nuanced than one might think.
B&You mobile plan
130 GB 5G
Unlimited calls
130 GB in France
25 GB in Europe
RED 4G Package
80 GB
Unlimited calls
80 GB in France
16 GB in Europe
Pricetel 4G package
Oxygen 30 to 70 GB
Unlimited calls
30 GB – 70 GB in France
15 GB in Europe
All mobile plans
Fibre
Bbox fit Fibre
Débit jusqu’à 400 Mb/s
Sans Player TV
Téléphonie vers 110 destinations
Fibre, Câble
RED box Fibre
Débit jusqu’à 500 Mb/s
Sans Player TV
Téléphonie vers 100 destinations
Fiber, Cable
SFR Fiber Starter
Flow rate up to 500 Mbps
160 TV channels included
Telephony to 1 destinations
All internet boxes
To follow us, we invite you to download our Android and iOS application. You can read our articles, files, and watch our latest YouTube videos.