IRISH FIRM Cubic Telecom has made a new move to further its reach in the mobile market, setting itself up as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in Britain.

The company, which specialises in providing low-cost international roaming services for mobile users, has partnered Vodafone’s UK network to provide the service.

The agreement means that customers of Cubic Telecom’s pre-paid MaxRoam product, which provides low-cost text and data in 230 countries using more than 600 mobile networks, will be charged local rates while in the UK without having to change sim cards.

Cubic’s customers already living in the UK, meanwhile, will be able to use the same sim card at home as they do when travelling, using Cubic’s multi-international mobile subscriber identities technology.

“We’re probably different from your average MVNO. We’ve taken the mobile subscriber identity of Vodafone UK and put it on to our sim cards,” said Cubic’s commercial director Gerry McQuaid.

“The average MVNO is nationally-focused,” insisted Mr McQuaid. “We’re aimed at a global market.”

The product is aimed mainly at customers from outside Europe who travel to the UK regularly, cutting down on costs for calls and data. Cubic also offers a number of data plans for visitors to the UK.

“Whenever a customer – resident or visitor to the UK – turns on their device it’s identified as local to the Vodafone network,” explained Mr McQuaid.

Vodafone UK’s director of wholesale Nick Parbutt said the deal supported the network’s strategy of recruiting the right growth partners into its business.

Mr McQuaid said the deal would be the first of many.

The company planned to explore deals in other markets around the world, and he said it was currently in negotiations in the US.