Roaming might get your IoT devices online, but at what cost? In this webinar recap, Jacob Jagger (Head of Information Security) and Yatish Misra (Head of Carrier Relations) from Onomondo unpack why roaming was never built for IoT, how it quietly drains your budget and battery, and what you can do about it.
Watch the full webinar here or read the summary below.
Roaming business models are built for telcos, not IoT
The roaming infrastructure that IoT relies on was built decades ago for consumer devices (a.k.a. people traveling), not machines.
That legacy still reflects old telecom priorities: maximizing partnerships and margins, not optimizing device behavior or lifespan.
That means IoT inherit hidden friction. Devices wake too often, drain battery faster, and lose signal consistency, not because of bad hardware, but because they’re stuck in a business model built for consumers.
Depending on your provider’s position in the chain (reseller, MVNO, or MNO), you may have little to no visibility and control as of what’s actually happening on the network.
Key takeaway: Roaming isn’t neutral—your connectivity depends on the operator’s business interests.
The illusion of global coverage (why it’s more complicated than you think)
Roaming is often mistaken as the golden ticket to global coverage.
Many operators promise thousands of networks globally, but in reality, how your operator connects to a network is more important than how many networks you have access to.
Commercially steered connections force devices onto sub-optimal networks, leading to higher data costs and latency, weaker signal quality, and inconsistent performance across borders.
Moreover, network technologies such as NB-IoT and LTE-M are are unevenly deployed across the world, and 2G/3G are sunsetting. That means your devices may not behave the same way everywhere — so plan your coverage and technology choices with both today’s reality and tomorrow’s networks in mind.
Key takeaway: A reliable IoT network isn’t about how many countries you can reach; it’s about whether your devices work when they get there.
How latency can kill your battery, device and sometimes your complete use-case.
Most roaming today is home-routed: traffic travels from the visited network back to your home operator’s core before reaching the internet.
That detour adds distance and latency—sometimes up to 300% higher than local routing. Longer latency keeps the modem awake longer, draining battery and shortening device lifespan.
If the device is also steered to a weak network or misaligned power-saving settings (like PSM or eDRX), the effect can double.
Still, this isn’t always an issue: for low-frequency use cases like smart meters, higher latency barely matters, but it can break low-latency use cases like payment terminals or gps trackers.
Key takeaway: Ask your provider about routing, PSM/eDRX support/alignment, and steering policies (ideally no SIM-level priority lists). It could make or break your device.
When the rules change mid-deployment: ensuring your setup is future-proof
Regulations around IoT roaming are tightening fast. Frameworks like NIS2 and CE radio rules push providers and device makers to take greater responsibility for security, data handling, and network behavior.
Beyond laws, operators are also enforcing their own restrictions—such as permanent roaming limits, data sovereignty requirements, and use-case bans for critical infrastructure.
These can change mid-deployment, making adaptability essential. Future-proofing means building flexibility into your connectivity: using eSIM or multi-IMSI for remote switching, ensuring compliance across regions, and choosing partners who can evolve with shifting rules and network shutdowns.
Key takeaway: Networks and regulations will change over your device lifespan, make sure to plan your choices with both today’s reality and tomorrow’s needs in mind.
Closing summary
Roaming gave IoT a shortcut to go global, but not a sustainable one. The legacy systems, steering practices, and outdated regulations it relies on were never designed for machines that stay connected for years across borders. The result? Hidden costs in power, reliability, and flexibility that only show up once devices are deployed.
To truly scale IoT, companies need to think beyond roaming. Choose partners who offer transparent, software-driven connectivity with local breakout, non-steered access, and the ability to adapt as networks and laws evolve.
Global connectivity shouldn’t mean compromise—it should mean control.