App-Based Mobile Plans Could Replace Your Carrier by 2025

The mobile industry is shifting in a way that could change how we think about phone service forever. We used to walk into carrier stores or dial customer support to set up plans. Now apps can activate mobile service on the spot, no carrier visit required. Carrier billing and e-wallets will be worth $60 billion globally in 2025, and superapps are multifunctional platforms that integrate messaging, payments, e-commerce and more. Put those together and you get a new ecosystem where your next phone plan might come bundled with your favorite ride-sharing app, food delivery service, or even social media platform.

Imagine opening your fitness app and seeing an option to add a data plan optimized for streaming workout videos. Or discovering that your navigation app can bundle real-time traffic updates with a specialized connectivity plan. This is not science fiction. It is happening now, and it is about to reshape how we think about mobile service.

The MVNO revolution is already here

Let’s pull back the curtain. MVNOs lease access to networks used by the Big Three, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, while delivering unique, flexible, and budget-friendly plans. The market speaks loudly: the global MVNO market was valued at $79.2 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.8% from 2024 to 2030, reaching an estimated $141.9 billion by 2030. In the United States, more than 10% of mobile subscribers are already on MVNO services, with continued expansion. The playbook works, just look at Xfinity Mobile, which reached 7.5 million subscriber lines by Q3 2024, with annual growth of approximately 1 million subscribers.

Here is the real shift. Modern MVNOs are no longer just budget alternatives. They are software-driven platforms that plug directly into the apps you use daily. MVNOs manage their billing systems, customer service, and marketing, controlling the entire customer relationship while leasing radio network access. Without legacy baggage, they can personalize faster and ship features that traditional carriers struggle to match.

Approaches vary widely, which is exactly why app integration is taking off. You have branded resellers, full MVNOs, skinny MVNOs, thick MVNOs, niche MVNOs, and integrated MVNOs or MVNEs. And the demand is already tilting consumer-first, with the consumer segment expected to dominate with a 58.8% market share in 2025, driven by MVNOs personalized and affordable mobile plans with tailored offerings for diverse user needs. That flexibility enables a food delivery app to offer data plans with unlimited streaming for restaurant browsing, or a social platform to bundle messaging-optimized connectivity.

PRO TIP: When evaluating app-based mobile plans, look for MVNOs that offer API access or developer partnerships, these are the ones most likely to create innovative, app-specific features that traditional carriers cannot match.

How eSIM technology makes app-based plans possible

The game changer is eSIM, and the implementation is tidy. eSIMs have made it possible to activate mobile data plans across the globe, without ever stepping into a store or handling a plastic SIM. The flow is consumer friendly too. Customers can move from app log-in to remote eSIM activation, without the need for physical authentication, in just six steps.

Adoption is surging. Kaleido Intelligence projects that active smartphone eSIM connections will increase across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region from 5 million in 2023 to 135 million in 2028. For app-based services, one detail stands out, customers can run many eSIMs concurrently on one device, becoming 'multiple subscribers'. You are no longer tied to a single carrier. You can keep a work plan, a travel plan, and an entertainment plan at the same time.

The tech is not just for phones. eSIM technology can fit into more devices, including tablets, internet of things (IoT) gadgets, wearables, and car infotainment systems, thereby increasing demand for a mobile connection to a network. That opens the door for apps to bundle connectivity with their core services across your entire digital life.

PRO TIP: Look for devices that support multiple eSIM profiles simultaneously. This capability will let you take full advantage of app-based plans without sacrificing your primary mobile service.

Real companies are making this happen right now

This is already in motion. Gigs, the operating system for mobile services, has partnered with Vodafone UK to empower startups and large tech companies across the UK to launch their own mobile services. Integration can be native or no code, customers can natively build a custom integration in their app using Gigs' best-in-class telecom API or opt to use Gigs Connect, a no-code hosted checkout that can be embedded anywhere via a link.

Speed is the clincher. Companies can go live in just a few weeks instead of months or even years, and onboarding is clean, end users can sign up, pay, and activate their eSIM with one tap, and manage their subscription anytime, anywhere.

Customization is built in. Gigs' customers can flexibly configure the data, talk, and text allowances of the plans they want to offer and are free to choose their own pricing and branding. Expect app-shaped plans that make sense within specific ecosystems, like a fitness app tuned for video workouts or a navigation app with connectivity for real-time traffic and offline maps.

Based on current partnerships and platform capabilities, I expect to see the first wave of major app-based mobile plans launching in sectors like ride-sharing, food delivery, and streaming services by mid-2025. The technical infrastructure is ready, the regulatory framework exists, and early adopters are already testing these integrations.

What this means for your wallet and convenience

The financial upside goes beyond simple savings. Consumers who use digital wallets spend 31% more, which hints at stickier relationships when payments live where you already spend time. And when services are integrated, the value feels tangible, not tacked on.

Bundling is already working in the real world. The plan promises to slash wireless bills by over 50% for dual-line customers, leveraging Comcast's vast WiFi and 5G networks. Convenience helps too, simplicity isn't the only reason to bundle, with savings or perks for those who get multiple services through the same company.

The strategy is not just about coupons. You still get many of the same discounts you would with any carrier, such as multi-line discounts for families. One bill, one support line, fewer headaches.

Performance can benefit as well. If you stay in your local area most of the time, most of your data usage could be on your ISP's Wi-Fi network rather than on LTE or 5G. That hybrid model can feel faster and cheaper, a rare win-win.

PRO TIP: When evaluating app-based plans, calculate your total cost of connectivity across all your services, you might find that bundling saves more money than you realize, especially when you factor in streaming service subscriptions and premium app features that often come included.

Where do we go from here?

This is bigger than a new checkout flow. It is part of a broader shift where telecom operators must develop beyond the telecommunications business and reposition themselves as comprehensive digital service providers.

Making that leap takes intent. The transition from a traditional telecom operator to a superapp provider requires a shift in mindset, investment in digital infrastructure, and customer-centric innovation. We are already seeing operators expand beyond basic connectivity, building ecosystems that touch more of our daily routines. The market data above points in the same direction, personalized, app-integrated experiences are winning over one-size-fits-all plans.

The enablers are only accelerating. eSIM growth is fueled by growth in eSIM-only smartphones, remote authentication, and more digital-savvy consumers. As devices go eSIM native and users get comfortable with app-based activation, the frictions melt away.

It will not happen overnight. Companies still have to navigate regulation, prove network reliability, and earn trust with new service models. The early wins should come from brands that already have strong customer relationships and a track record for digital execution.

Bottom line, your next phone plan might come from your favorite app, and that could save you money while making life easier. The convergence of MVNO infrastructure, eSIM technology, and app-based experiences is opening the door for companies to rethink mobile connectivity entirely. Whether it is bundled services, specialized data plans, or seamless integration with the apps you already use, the mobile landscape is about to get a lot more interesting, and competitive. The only real question is which of your apps offers you a better deal than your current carrier.