The People’s Operator (TPO), the UK MVNO which backs charitable causes and has Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales as a shareholder, is planning a London flotation ahead of an international expansion.

TPO is planning a listing on the small cap AIM market in November. The offering could put a value of up to £100 million on the business, said The Telegraph.

Subscribers get to direct ten per cent of their monthly bill to a charity cause of their choosing. The company, which was founded in 2012, also gives a quarter of its trading profits away to charity.

Now it has to convince potential investors to buy into that business model.

TPO argues the key to its success is a customer acquisition model that undercuts the traditional approach of the mobile industry. It works with community organisations and causes who promote the MVNO’s service to supporters.

In addition, its strategy will be supplemented by a new viral marketing system based on an online global community run and developed by Jimmy Wales, who is a ten per cent shareholder in TPO.

Currently, the MVNO only operates in the UK where it piggybacks on the EE network. The UK service has signed up more than 10,000 users.

The plan is to expand to the US next year via a deal with Sprint, with other countries to follow.

Flotation proceeds will support further expansion.

The MVNO is advised by Finncap.