Bringing Out the Optimum Power of Connectivity: Transatel

“We continuously invest in innovation to achieve best-in-class results.”

Transatel is a great example of a company inspired, driven and supported by the new economy, now an established European player in the mobile services industry. Infused with the buzz, energy and creativity of its start-up days fifteen years ago, Transatel is still growing at steady speed, offering high profile talents new management opportunities at every turn. Today, 160 telecoms and IT experts based in 5 European offices and 1 office in the United States work together to produce profitable revenue in fields ranging from mobile telephony to Internet of Things. 70% of the activity is generated outside of France, and 19 nationalities compose the Transatel talents. Passionate about innovation, the teams are currently launching their most ground-breaking project yet, a multi-country embedded connectivity solution for tablets and laptops based on the 901 concept, a non-geographic Mobile Network Code (MNC) enabling 3G/LTE multi-local connectivity.

Founded in 2000, Transatel provides the entire range of services, as well as the technical infrastructure associated with mobile connectivity. Addressing BtoB and BtoC markets, Transatel develops activities either as an operator (MVNO- Mobile Virtual Operator) or as a third party (MVNO enabler – MVNE; aggregator – MVNA; Machine to Machine – M2M enabler). Its technical platform is connected to the 7 leading European operators, supports over 80 MVNOs, and provides connectivity to more than 1.6 million SIM cards worldwide, across all of its businesses.

Center of Innovation
Whether one is working directly with Transatel or simply benefiting from their technology, one is participating in Transatel’s mission to shape the future of mobile connectivity. They’re still infused with the enthusiasm and creativity of their start-up days, resulting in technology that is cutting edge and developed to exacting standards. Multiple European professional organizations have recognized Transatel’s contribution to innovation in the mobile connectivity market.

The Connectivity Services
For 15 years, they have consistently provided flexible solutions, helping a wide variety of businesses meet their needs for mobile telephony and data connectivity. The company’s solutions include:

Enabling Mobile Services

MVNE / MVNA: Transatel is the leading pan-European MVNE (Mobile Virtual Network Enabler) and MVNA (Mobile Virtual Network Aggregator).

• They help companies from outside the telecom world to leverage the power of their brand by becoming MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators).
• They enable MNOs (Mobile Network Operators) to address specific clients with custom offerings, for which their platform is particularly well suited.
• They guarantee the highest possible quality for over 80 MVNOs (with more than 700K subscribers) by working directly with Europe’s major carriers.

Machine-TO-Machine: Pioneers in M2M solutions with over 1 million active SIM cards to date, they enable M2M operators to add connectivity to their services and applications, such as:

• Vehicle telematics
• Logistics
• Smart metering / smart city
• E-health

Embedded Connectivity for Consumer Devices: Consumer device manufacturers can enhance their existing technology with global 3G/LTE connectivity thanks to the SIM 901 card, the result of years of intensive R&D. The SIM 901 card offers multi-local connectivity based on Code 901, a non-geographic Mobile Network Code (MNC) dedicated to multi-country 3G/LTE data-only plans. This is possible, thanks to their agreements with telecom operators in multiple countries.

Providing Mobile Services

MVNO: Long before talks about a Single Digital Market and unified communications in Europe, Transatel was already facilitating cross-border mobile communications and helping the clients avoid roaming costs. For 15 years, they’ve been developing and hosting their own MVNOs, addressing specific transnational needs with offerings such as Transatel Mobile or LeFrenchMobile and were the first French operator to include calls to and from the entire European Union in their bundles. Today, their retail offers also include SMS and data packages.

Multi-local Data SIM card: Recently, Transatel launched a global data SIM card, offering local rates in 40 countries and 5 continents. This is possible thanks to an innovative technical infrastructure they named SIM 901.
Secure mobile solutions are becoming an increasingly attractive alternative as data consumers abroad are progressively avoiding Wi-Fi, due to complicated login procedures, unstable connections and recent piracy scares. However, cost is still an important factor, so Transatel is determined to offer only local rates. They do this by negotiating rates in each and every country they cover.

Meet the Master

Jacques Bonifay, CEO: Jacques is head of the company’s general management, as well as the shareholder relationships. In November 2009, Jacques became President of Alternative Mobile, the French MVNO association made up of the country’s largest MVNOs, where he leads the association’s interests in relation to the French government and telecom regulatory authorities. Jacques was elected President of EAFM, the European Association of Full MVNOs in October 2012. Now re-named MVNO Europe, the group includes major European operators, such as Liberty Global, Telenet, PosteMobile, Cyta Hellas, Voiceworks, and El Telecom (NRJ Mobile). Jacques is guiding their lobbying efforts to the European institutions. Before founding Transatel, Jacques had a career in the space industry at Airbus Group, and afterwards as a consultant for McKinsey & Co. at the Paris office. Jacques later headed Strategy & Business Development for the Professional & Consumer Division of Alcatel, where he initiated new businesses based on fixed mobile convergence and e-commerce with several operators. Jacques holds an MBA degree from INSEAD and an engineering degree from ENSERG/INPG – France.

“We’re a company inspired and driven by the new economy.”