7 steps for successful customer migrations 

Having been in the mobile industry for over 25 years, I know one of the greatest fears MVNOs have is that they will need to migrate their base to a new host as a result of some form of upheaval with their current MNO. We’re talking a merger, an acquisition or a significant shift in wholesale strategy that won’t work in the MVNO’s favour. 

It’s certainly a valid concern to have on the risk register, especially in mature markets, where we see market consolidation more regularly happen. 

For those that face a migration, the fear is generally linked to how they can move customers from one platform to another without losing any. 

Often the assumption is that success will come down to getting the technology right. But in truth, tech has little to do with whether a migration goes well or not. Yes, you need to do number ports and SIMs need to be activated and billing needs to be accurate. But that’s all hygiene. The customer experience whilst all of that is going on, is what will really push someone to stay or go. 

I know, because I’ve picked up the pieces when it’s gone wrong (often spectacularly wrong), undoing years of hard-won loyalty and growth. Eye watering churn of 20-30% isn’t unheard of, but it is avoidable by making the right set of decisions. From the pace of the migration and who is moved when, to having early warning systems in place to flag when there’s the slightest of signs that things are going off track.  

It means MVNOs need to think of a migration project as a customer continuity project, not a technology one. The more the project focuses on speed, the greater the risk the customer experience is forgotten, and the propensity for churn simply goes up. Ultimately, the customer should have no idea anything is happening. They want their phone to just work. The slightest hint of a wobble and customers will walk.

That’s why we recommend clients adopt a 7-step plan for success

Step 1. Recognise the measure of success is having all your customers at the end

Do you want to save 20-30% of operating costs from a new tech stack or a host network agreement? Yes. Do you want to lose 20-30% of your customers, as a result? No. You must set out to keep every customer, and then you’ll reap the efficiency gains you expect the migration to deliver. 

The best approach is to commit to upfront segmentation and risk profiling. First, think about how customers differ by value, handset and SIM type, account structure and engagement. Each difference affects their view of your brand. Some will be highly engaged, others won’t be. Some might be high value, some might be dependent on you. 

Then overlay the risk. A high-value business customer with multiple lines has a very different risk profile from a low-engagement consumer customer, and a family account cannot necessarily be treated as a collection of independent numbers. 

It’s important to see this segmentation exercise not as an analytical one but as a fundamental part of the migration strategy determining not just who is moved when, but also how they are moved. 

Step 2. Plan to manage the risk you’ve identified

After profiling you’ll know which customer types pose the greatest risk to your brand. In my experience, creating a personalised journey, with personal handling, assisted authorisation, proactive retention offers and a direct escalation route is best.

Complex accounts need similar consideration. Multi-SIM, family, and shared data accounts should migrate as a unit wherever possible. Moving individual lines can create ‘orphaned’ services and broken accounts that are difficult to reverse.

Also be aware that a physical-SIM migration can create problems too. Customers who receive a SIM but never activate it are some of the trickiest to remedy. Typically, 3–8% of your migration base can sit in this group, making reminders, alternative delivery and assisted activation essential. 

You also need to scenario plan the impact data quality could have on your plan. For example, how will you handle the customers who don’t have to register an address (like in the UK), or move house without telling you?

Step 3. Test small, learn fast, scale accordingly 

When there are financial savings riding on a migration then the pressure to move quickly is inevitable. But scaling before you really understand how customers behave during a migration is one of the easiest ways to introduce unnecessary churn.

I usually advise starting your migration with a set of employees and friendly customers. You can test the journey end-to-end under real conditions and then define the clear go/no-go criteria for every wave of customer segment. 

Taking this first step will allow you to move to the next, which is to move a small, representative live cohort. Then you can observe, adjust, and go again with another wave. 

Skipping the pilot to save a fortnight may feel like acceleration but it can be the most expensive mistake in the project. So always, migrate, observe, learn and adjust, then scale.

Step 4. Give customers a choice

On occasions, it’s best practice to let customers choose a migration slot. This gives them some control and generally creates less friction than simply telling them it’s happening.

That’s the perfect world. But nothing can be assumed, and usually in every migration there are customers who remain unresponsive despite multiple opportunities to pick a slot.

That’s where push communications, hard deadlines and, in extreme cases, service restrictions have a role. The key is to escalate progressively rather than treat the whole base this way – we’ve seen some clumsy implementations in our time where restrictions created 8–15% churn spike.

Step 5. Communicate the benefit, not the technology

If your plan does require customer communications, then keep it simple and related to the benefits. Customers do not care about HLRs, SIM profiles or the architecture. 

Instead, answer these basic hygiene questions: Will my phone work? Will I keep my number? Will my bill make sense? And then address the service fundamentals: Will I get better coverage, network experience and value for money?

This will help you explain what is happening, when and what people need to do, if anything. It builds confidence and reduces the temptation to churn. 

Step 6. Don’t forget an error can cause upheaval beyond your control

Mobile migrations create a particular challenge because you are dealing with a person’s primary way of contacting people and use of important services. One-time passcodes delivered by SMS underpin banking, payments and government services, so if SMS breaks, you have a much bigger problem on your hands. Managing this risk needs to be a core component of your plan. 

Step 7. The first billing cycle marks the end of the project

Everyone in the project team needs to understand that the migration is only finished when the customers are happy, not when the technical delivery has happened. 

The first bill should be a test of happiness. That’s because changes to billing dates and how discounts and credits are displayed can create confusion even if the bill is technically correct. The first post-migration bill should therefore be planned carefully. Get it wrong and your churn spikes again. 

My final piece of advice is to oversee the management with a control room so you can see exactly what is happening, when, and what has happened and how it went. You’ll then be able to react in real-time, and you’ll have a ready-made reporting process for senior leaders. 

Let us guide your migration for you. We’ve delivered and advised on successful migration projects for many clients. We’re here to make yours a success too. Contact us to discuss your requirements and we’ll provide tailored advice to make it happen.