Back in the early days of Engadget, everyone -- including us -- thought mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) were totally poised to be the next big thing. And why not? You get to be a wireless carrier without having to operate your own infrastructure (which is by far the most expensive, difficult part). Just what the doctor ordered for the big, stodgy wireless carriers, each struggling to balance differentiating themselves while trapping their customers in their walled content and services gardens.

Little did we all know that the differentiation most of these MVNOs had in mind was slapping their lame brand on some existing phone that people could get sooner, cheaper, and often with a better plan on one of the major carriers. Even Helio, the one MVNO that managed to keep gadget nerds' attention for more than 30 seconds, couldn't ride the Ocean to the land of success, writing off its half-billion dollar 2.5 year run for $39m in Virgin Mobile USA stock.

Let's take a look at the last five years in dead American MVNOs. For a graveyard of well over billion dollars, you'd sure think it wasn't so damned shabby.

Amp'd Mobile
Began service: December, 2005
Ended service: July, 2007
Network: Verizon
Amount invested: reportedly $350 - 400m+
Backgrounder: Despite backing by MTV and Universal Music Group (and a ton of VCs), CEO Peter Adderton managed to run this MVNO straight into the ground in little more than a year. It didn't help that the people running Amp'd couldn't get thousands of their "customers" to make good on their bills, strangling what little income the company did have. Way to go. Amp'd's mobile content still lives on, though -- ever catch Little Bush on Comedy Central?

One of the lovely perks of existing as a tiny entity within a global megacorporation is that you can be a little coy with your public disclosure and get away with it. That's exactly the game kid-friendly Disney Mobile is playing as it gears up to celebrate its first anniversary, completely ignoring the burning question of subscriber count to concentrate on inane stats like how many people use its GPS tracking services (30 percent, by the way) and the balance of adult users to kids (56 to 44 percent). Sub count is particularly interesting here for a couple reasons: first, all eyes are on the still-maturing MVNO market as players try to find their niches and stake their claims against the big guys, and second, stablemate ESPN Mobile bit the dust last year for lack of interest. To be fair, Disney Mobile's target demographic is utterly different than ESPN's was -- and kiddie phones seem to be hot items these days -- so it's entirely possible all's well in the Magic Kingdom; until Disney decides to release more deets or the division closes up shop, though, it's all speculation.

[Via Techdirt]

Our buddies at the FCC want to fine MVNO Amp'd Mobile a cool $100,000 for failing to protect consumers' personal calling records from data thieves. In an age where sensitive customer information (credit cards, social security numbers, etc.) seems to get leaked monthly, maybe large fines like this will force telecom companies and others to reign in IT systems and internal processes that involve customer information. With the FCC having issued no less than four fines in recent months to companies for inadequate internal controls to safeguard personal customer information, the agency promised "aggressive, substantial steps." We believe that a $100,000 fine to Amp'd Mobile definitely qualifies, and with Amp'd Mobile's current annual sales estimated to be about $5.2 million, a $100,000 fine is more than a pinch according to our math.

Well, you can imagine the surprise we're all feeling over here at Engadget HQ at the news of Xero Mobile -- the MVNO started by former Gizmondo execs -- getting calls from the US Securities and Exchange Commission regarding their "conducting an informal inquiry relating to certain aspects of the company's business." For example, how they intend to pay back all those investors after a track record of pump and dump business scams? Something like that? Apparently Xero feigned innocence, shrugging off the initial inquiry, stating they are "unaware of the reason for the request," but apparently are preparing to cooperate voluntarily even though no formal investigation has begun. Oh sure, we have to give them credit for opening themselves up to SEC queries even though they're not yet formally indicted, but you'll have to forgive us if we're just a little skeptical about these guys, even when they claim to be showing their hand.

With all those MVNOs cropping up for the youthful crowd, it's about time the seniors got one of their own. The new Jitterbug MVNO will feature a special Jitterbug phone from Samsung with oversized keys, a large display text, and loud audio. There will be a second version that sounds similar to the firefly offerings for children, featuring only three main buttons: one to a Jitterbug operator to help make a call, one for 911, and one to call a dedicated number like that of a relative or perhaps the Home Shopping Network. The new MVNO is powered by Sprint, but sounds to be one of the last for a while since the carrier claims it's not going to be adding many more new MVNOs, and is currently taking a break to get their current MVNOs figured and see how well they do. We'll be sad to see these heady days go of four new MVNOs a minute, but perhaps it's for the best.

Read: Jitterbug MVNO
Read: Sprint holds off on new MVNOs