CSPs need to support enterprise requirements for global IoT connectivity

A significant challenge for enterprises sits around managing global connectivity as they scale up their IoT applications. It is important for enterprises understand the importance of global IoT connectivity and how roaming is evolving. Global providers of IoT connectivity need to inform and educate the enterprise on IoT roaming and develop solutions that best match their needs.

Enterprises often underestimate the volume of devices that are actually roaming. The need for roaming is apparent for some applications that cross international borders. There are also devices that are shipped from other markets, which might be roaming straightaway. We estimate that around 15% to 20% of IoT devices may well be roaming ones. Clearly, in both these scenarios, an enterprise needs to turn to a specialist IoT CSP who can meet their needs and help to develop an optimum roaming solution.

There are obvious technical and commercial considerations for optimizing the handling of roaming connections and often there needs to be a collaboration between the CSPs and the MNO as it may prove difficult to provide truly global coverage otherwise. Enterprises need strong open and transparent relationships with their IoT connectivity providers to have a mutually beneficial outcome and in particularly with a trend towards having an increased number of regional or global contracts

Permanent roaming is a feature in a number of geographies at present which means that the enterprise needs to work with a global IoT CSP in markets where permanent roaming isn't allowed. It should make use of the tools available to switch to local profiles or use a connectivity providers dedicated infrastructure in those markets.