Europe’s largest MVNO Lycamobile is planning to start operations in the US and Canada in October, reports the Financial Times.

The UK-based company is in the final stages of testing the technology in North America and will initially focus on key markets such as California, New York and New Jersey. The company will build its own data centres to support data and voice calls.

The expansion of the business is aimed at doubling the company’s revenue, which hit EUR1 billion for the first time this year, according to chief executive Milind Kangle. Lycamobile chairman Subaskaran Allirajah added that the move into the US is “a significant step change in the global ambitions of Lycamobile”.

Lycamobile said it will be the first “full” MVNO in the US as, unlike other MVNOs in the country, it owns its technology, billing and customer service functions rather than relying on its network partner.

Lycamobile currently has more than 20 million customers across 16 countries who are able to make international calls without roaming charges – something that is popular with expatriate workers to who need to contact relatives and friends in their home countries.