BT's Mobile Menage a Trois

Now that BT is getting back into the cellular business, Unstrung is explaining why they've decided not to partner with former subsidiary mmO2 and to go with T-Mobile instead. Of course, they still have a relationship with mmO2 for some wireless services, and analysts suggest that this will keep BT "in the driver's seat" and let them play the two competing wireless companies off of each other - to ensure that they always have the best deal. More examples of MVNOs in action. Of course, remembering our recent discussion of who owns the WiFi customer, this raises a similar question: if running an MVNO is such a good deal for the brand that owns the customer, who's going to bother to keep building the actual infrastructure?