South Africa’s clothes retailer Mr. Price becomes the among the country’s first traders to launch mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) it has since dubbed MRP Mobile.

This move makes the company the second, after Virgin Mobile, to take up this type of technology for its customers.

According to Rex Samuelson, who is the managing director at Mr. Price financial services, the company is not yet ready define strategic direction but it intends to update the market in November, at the JSE-listed group’s half-year financial update.

MRP Mobile is now the only other MVNO in South Africa apart from Sir Richard Branson’s local offering, Virgin Mobile South Africa. BMI-TechKnowledge director Brian Neilson estimates VMSA has about half a million subscribers – compared to SA’s leading mobile operator Vodacom’s 32.5 million-strong base.

Mr Price is working with mobile virtual network enabler MVN-X – a subsidiary of Durban-based Ignition Group that offers established retailers and banks a platform to launch mobile offerings, using Cell C’s network.

MVN-X is run by former VMSA CEO Steve Bailey