Mythbusting IoT Roaming: Separating Fact From Fiction

According to Kaleido Intelligence, roaming wholesale revenues are projected to reach $34 billion by 2028, with IoT use cases expected to account for 73% of future growth.

Yet misconceptions about IoT roaming persist.

Many assumptions about roaming are based on outdated information, incomplete information, or experiences from the consumer mobile world. As organizations expand across regions and markets, these misconceptions can influence strategic connectivity decisions and prevent businesses from fully leveraging the advantages of modern roaming solutions.

This guide explores seven common myths about IoT roaming and examines the realities behind today's global connectivity landscape.

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Get the complete guide to seven common misconceptions about IoT roaming, including industry forecasts, coverage comparisons, regulatory insights, and real-world operational examples.

What Are the Benefits of IoT Roaming?

Organizations operating internationally often choose roaming because it can provide flexibility, resilience, scalability, and simplified connectivity management across markets.

Flexibility and Scalability

Roaming enables devices to connect across multiple markets and networks, helping organizations expand globally while reducing connectivity barriers.

Business Continuity

Access to multiple networks within a market can provide redundancy and help reduce the risk of service interruptions.

Consistent Customer Experience

Reliable connectivity supports consistent service delivery regardless of where devices are deployed.

Support for New Cellular Technologies

Roaming continues to support evolving cellular technologies, including NB-IoT, LTE-M, and 5G.

Cost Optimization and Faster Time-to-Market

Organizations can often avoid the complexity of integrating with multiple local connectivity management platforms and eSIM platforms, helping simplify deployment and accelerate time-to-market.

Is IoT Roaming Still Relevant?

Yes. Industry forecasts indicate that IoT will be one of the primary drivers of future roaming growth.

The Reality

The belief that roaming is becoming obsolete does not reflect current industry projections.

According to Kaleido Intelligence, roaming wholesale revenues are projected to reach $34 billion by 2028, with IoT use cases expected to account for 73% of future growth.

The guide also references analyst forecasts showing that roaming IoT connections are expected to grow at a 35% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2020 and 2026, outpacing overall IoT connection growth.

As connected products become increasingly global, roaming continues to play a critical role in supporting cross-border and multinational IoT deployments.

Evidence

$34 billion projected roaming wholesale revenue by 2028
73% of growth expected to come from IoT use cases
35% projected CAGR for roaming IoT connections between 2020 and 2026

What This Means

Roaming remains a growing and strategically important component of global IoT connectivity.

Is Local Access Better Than IoT Roaming?

Not always. In many situations, access to multiple networks through roaming can provide broader coverage and greater resilience than relying on a single network.

The Reality

Local access can be an effective solution in certain scenarios. However, the assumption that it is always superior overlooks situations where single-network connectivity becomes a limitation.

One of the key advantages of roaming is multi-network access. By allowing devices to connect to more than one network within a market, roaming can increase coverage and provide additional resilience if one network experiences issues.

Coverage analysis included in the guide demonstrates how combining multiple networks can significantly increase total coverage compared with relying on a single operator.

Evidence

Examples from the guide include:

Country	Best Single-Network Coverage	Multi-Network Coverage
Australia	19.1%	23.1%
Chile	25.9%	30.2%
France	96.1%	98.9%
Japan	67.0%	71.6%
South Africa	62.1%	71.3%

Coverage calculations were based on LTE coverage data using Ookla CellMaps. In every example included in the guide, combined multi-network coverage exceeded the coverage available from any individual operator.

What This Means

Multi-network roaming can provide broader coverage and stronger resilience than relying on a single network.

Is IoT Roaming Expensive?

Not necessarily. Modern IoT roaming solutions often use flexible commercial models designed to support cost-effective global deployments.

The Reality

The perception that roaming is prohibitively expensive often stems from assumptions based on traditional consumer mobile services.

Today's IoT roaming solutions frequently include flexible pricing models, bundled offerings, and commercial structures designed to support large-scale deployments.

Roaming can also support a multi-vendor approach that helps organizations optimize connectivity costs while simplifying global operations.

In addition, organizations can avoid some of the integration and operational costs associated with managing multiple local connectivity solutions across different markets.

What This Means

Modern roaming solutions can be both cost-effective and operationally efficient for global IoT deployments.

Download the Full Mythbusting Guide

Get the complete guide to seven common misconceptions about IoT roaming, including industry forecasts, coverage comparisons, regulatory insights, and real-world operational examples.

Is IoT Roaming Reliable?

Yes. Modern roaming solutions can provide highly reliable connectivity through access to multiple networks and redundant connectivity options.

The Reality

A common misconception is that roaming is inherently less reliable than local access.

Modern roaming infrastructure is built on mature technologies and long-established industry agreements. Multi-network access allows devices to connect through alternative networks when available, helping maintain service continuity during network disruptions.

This redundancy can be particularly valuable for large-scale deployments where uptime is critical.

Evidence

During July and August 2024, Telenor IoT recorded eight connectivity incidents involving roaming partners worldwide.

In seven of those eight incidents, customers could still maintain connectivity because alternative networks remained available in the affected market.

Examples included network disruptions affecting operators in:

South Africa
United Kingdom
Italy
Belgium
Ukraine

The guide highlights multi-network access as a key factor in maintaining operational continuity during these incidents.

Key Takeaway

For many IoT applications, roaming can provide highly reliable connectivity through redundancy and access to multiple available networks.

Is IoT Roaming Difficult to Manage?

No. In many cases, roaming can simplify connectivity management compared with managing multiple local access solutions.

The Reality

The perception that roaming is complex often overlooks the operational requirements associated with local connectivity strategies.

Local access solutions may require multiple integrations, multiple connectivity management platforms, and additional operational processes across different markets.

Roaming typically provides a more centralized approach through a single connectivity framework, helping reduce integration requirements and simplify ongoing management.

For organizations operating internationally, this can reduce both technical complexity and administrative overhead.

What This Means

Roaming often simplifies global connectivity management rather than making it more complicated.

Can Permanently Installed IoT Devices Use Roaming?

Yes. Permanent roaming is permitted in many markets, although some countries apply regulatory requirements, approval processes, or commercial restrictions.

The Reality

One of the most persistent misconceptions is that roaming cannot be used for permanently located devices.

In practice, the regulatory landscape is more nuanced.

The guide notes that only a limited number of countries explicitly prohibit permanent roaming. Other markets may allow it subject to regulatory approval or local requirements, while some operators apply commercial restrictions under specific circumstances. Organizations evaluating international deployments should review the regulatory landscape on a market-by-market basis, as outlined in the GSMA IoT Guide: Global IoT Regulations.

As a result, roaming can be a viable connectivity solution for many permanently deployed IoT devices depending on the market involved.

Evidence

Countries where permanent roaming is restricted or prohibited

Brazil
Turkey
Saudi Arabia

Countries where approval or specific regulatory requirements may apply

China
Egypt
Singapore
UAE
Japan

Markets where operator-imposed restrictions may occur

United States
Canada
Australia

What This Means

Permanent roaming restrictions exist in some markets, but they are not universal, and roaming remains a viable option for many permanently installed IoT deployments.

Is IoT Roaming Compatible With 5G, LTE-M, and NB-IoT?

Yes. Roaming continues to evolve alongside modern cellular technologies and supports technologies including 5G, LTE-M, and NB-IoT.

The Reality

The idea that roaming is outdated fails to recognize how the technology has evolved over time.

Modern roaming frameworks support emerging cellular technologies and continue to adapt to changing connectivity requirements.

The expansion of 5G roaming capabilities supports applications that require higher performance, while LTE-M and NB-IoT technologies enable low-power, wide-area IoT connectivity on a global scale.

Evidence

Modern roaming frameworks support:

5G roaming services
LTE-M connectivity
NB-IoT connectivity

These technologies allow connected devices to benefit from both global mobility and modern cellular capabilities.

What This Means

Roaming remains an important part of modern cellular connectivity and continues to support new generations of IoT technology.

Choosing the Right IoT Connectivity Strategy

Connectivity decisions should be based on deployment requirements, operational goals, regulatory considerations, and long-term business objectives rather than assumptions about roaming.

For many global IoT deployments, roaming continues to provide flexibility, resilience, scalability, and simplified management across multiple markets.

Understanding the realities behind common misconceptions can help organizations make more informed decisions about their connectivity strategies and select the approach that best supports their business needs.

Download the Full Mythbusting Guide

Get the complete guide to seven common misconceptions about IoT roaming, including industry forecasts, coverage comparisons, regulatory insights, and real-world operational examples.