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Questions I'd be asking Monzo about their mobile service

Questions I'd be asking Monzo about their mobile service
Screenshot of Monzo's homepage

I wrote recently about Monzo's rumoured mobile service offering for their customers in the UK. Here are the questions I'd be asking the team, in no particular order:

  1. Who is the mobile service provider running the network? That's still quite important for some people who live in an area with limited/crappy service.
  2. Are we transferring our numbers to Monzo? That's a key question. Having done this with quite a few MVNOs, it's pretty simple and easy nowadays. But transferring the number introduces additional risk (see below for lost/stolen phones).
  3. Can you please make it all unlimited? It will get quite messy if you're having to choose gigabytes.
  4. eSIM only, right? I would imagine this is a no-brainer, but thought it's worthwhile checking. For a digital-only bank, you'll want to strictly limit your physical logistics.
  5. How will you handle additional devices? Or will it just be a single subscription? There could be an opportunity to diversify by enabling eSIMs on the same account for other purposes (e.g. iPad, Watch, children's / additional subscriptions).
  6. What's the deal on roaming? This will likely depend on the network's own relationships and approach to roaming - e.g. most MVNOs get to piggy-back on the 'unlimited EU roaming' deals of the parent MNO. I'd be interested in some kind of innovation here - something like what the networks in UAE offer (i.e. £100-200+ a month for unlimited everything, everywhere – but this is probably not the target Monzo persona).
  7. Will you bother with handsets? Some networks and MVNOs have a sideline in handset sales - new or refurbished. Probably best to keep it focused on the eSIM.
  8. What's the re-set/setup process? Make sure the eSIM signing and activation process is properly thought through. As a regular Monzo customer I'm sure they'll do it best-in-class. I can't remember if Monzo needs any SMS one-time-passwords, so it's worth thinking about the "I've lost my phone" use case where there's NO eSIM availability (or the phone has been stolen) and the customer can't get into their banking. This is probably the biggest issue. You need to be able to re-activate your Monzo banking independently of your mobile plan IF your phone is lost/stolen.
  9. The cost and the plans. Is the cost integrated into the existing price plan? Is it in addition? Could you add Monzo Max Plus which includes unlimited UK everything and EU roaming (etc., etc., with simple top up for additional metered roaming)?

What other questions would you be asking? I'll have a think...