Sponsored Roaming Glossary
Sponsored roaming is a model through which a business delivers mobile services (voice, messaging, internet) by leveraging another operator’s infrastructure, rather than building its own global roaming footprint.
Instead of operating as a full mobile network operator (MNO), organizations that use sponsored roaming can essentially ‘borrow from’ the infrastructure of other providers. This can be a powerful operational tool, accelerating go-to-market (GTM), lowering costs, and reducing risk. However, to realize the full benefit of sponsored roaming, these businesses must partner with a reliable and efficient sponsor who provides the necessary roaming infrastructure.
How Does
Sponsored Roaming Work?
To connect to any cellular network, a mobile device must have a SIM (or eSIM) with an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI). The SIM stores user data, such as cellphone number, service provider name, mobile country code, and the IMSI, a unique number that identifies every single user on a mobile network.
Although initially users could only have one IMSI at a time, modern SIM cards, including eSIM, are now multi-IMSI. This means that the same SIM can be used across many regions, switching automatically from number to number depending on the best network in the area. Roaming sponsors provide IMSI to their buyers, allowing them to enable seamless global access for consumers.
To make sponsored roaming work, providers must create a sophisticated network architecture. This involves:
- Integrating network architecture – The home (native) network and the sponsored networks must be linked securely and seamlessly so that subscriber data, policies, and charging information can flow effortlessly during roaming.
- Creating multi-IMSI cards – Service providers need to create cards that are multi-IMSI compatible with sponsor-provided IMSIs.
- Implementing SIM applets - SIM applets manage logic for selecting the correct IMSI, triggering profile switches, and interfacing with OTA systems. Sponsors must ensure the SIM reacts automatically to roaming conditions without user intervention.
- Ensuring security - Strong encryption, mutual authentication, and secure key management protect subscriber credentials across multiple networks. Providers must also secure OTA channels and prevent unauthorized profile manipulation.
- Managing authentication and provisioning - Authentication systems must support validating multiple IMSIs and dynamically assigning policies on sponsor networks. Provisioning platforms update SIM profiles, roaming settings, and service entitlements in real time to maintain a consistent user experience.
What are the Benefits of Sponsored Roaming?
The main benefit of sponsored roaming is simplicity. Instead of negotiating hundreds of bilateral roaming deals or building a global roaming architecture from scratch, the sponsored operator can tap into an existing ecosystem and gain near-instant access to worldwide connectivity. Here’s what that can mean for businesses.
Normally, establishing roaming involves technical integrations, extensive signaling tests, clearinghouse connections, fraud prevention systems, and long negotiation cycles. Even for large operators, this process can take many months per partner.
Sponsored roaming eliminates these barriers. By leveraging the sponsor’s established agreements, operators immediately inherit access to potentially hundreds of roaming partners. They do not need to build their own roaming infrastructure or interconnects; instead, they just integrate once. This not only accelerates deployment but also simplifies ongoing operations.
For example:
- Operators only need to manage one relationship instead of dozens.
- The sponsor provides consolidated reporting, billing, and support.
- Updates to roaming footprints or technical capabilities (e.g., VoLTE roaming) are passed through automatically.
Building a global roaming footprint from scratch is expensive. Operators need to invest in signaling infrastructure, testing platforms, billing systems, monitoring tools, and commercial negotiation resources. This can be a significant barrier to entry for companies looking to enter the connectivity space.
With sponsored roaming, the sponsor bears these costs, and the sponsored operator only pays for usage or a negotiated wholesale arrangement. This dramatically reduces capital expenditure and lowers operational overhead.
Additional cost efficiencies include:
- No roaming testing fees: These are handled by the sponsor.
- Lower operational staffing requirements: The sponsored operator does not need a large roaming or interconnect team.
- Predictable pricing: Rates are structured through a single agreement with the sponsor.
- Reduced clearing and billing complexity: The sponsor manages software and fraud detection, which would otherwise require dedicated systems and expertise.
Sponsored roaming is designed for growth. As the sponsor expands its own roaming footprint by adding new countries, testing LTE-M or NB-IoT support, or enabling 5G roaming, the sponsored operators benefit automatically.
This makes sponsored roaming ideal for:
- Operators planning to expand into new markets quickly
- IoT providers with devices traveling unpredictably across borders
- Global MVNOs targeting travelers or remote workers
- Enterprise mobility providers that need consistent multinational coverage
Scalability also applies to technical capacities. As device fleets or user bases expand, the sponsor’s infrastructure easily absorbs the increase, allowing the sponsored business to grow without stress.
Who Uses Sponsored Roaming?
Sponsored roaming is used by a wide range of organizations, each with different business profiles.
Key users include:
- Mobile Network Operators (MNOs): Although most traditional MNOs provide the majority of their international coverage through direct roaming agreements, many MNOs use sponsored roaming to fill their coverage gaps while they negotiate (as this can be a lengthy process). They may also choose sponsored roaming as a permanent solution for international travelers, allowing them to provide cheaper connectivity to consumers.
- Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs): MVNOs commonly rely on sponsored roaming instead of building their own roaming capabilities, especially if they primarily serve global travelers or international business customers.
- IoT Connectivity Providers: IoT companies require global coverage for asset trackers, sensors, or devices that frequently cross borders. Sponsored roaming offers consistency without the burden of managing multiple roaming contracts.
- Enterprise Mobility Platforms: Organizations providing connectivity for corporate fleets, mobile workforces, international shipping, aviation, and manufacturing often rely on sponsored roaming for stable multinational coverage.
Sponsored roaming is an attractive option for any organization that needs global mobile coverage without a significant investment in roaming infrastructure.
Why Use an eSIM
for Sponsored Roaming?
Using eSIM (embedded SIM) enhances the flexibility, remote provisioning, and lifecycle management capabilities of sponsored roaming. While outsourcing connectivity infrastructure solves the coverage and hardware challenges, eSIM streamlines how users and devices connect to that coverage.
Key advantages of eSIM in this context include:
- Instant activation: Devices can download sponsored roaming profiles remotely without needing additional physical SIM cards to be manufactured, allowing businesses to transition existing users onto a sponsored roaming network seamlessly.
- Multi-profile capability: Devices can hold many IMSIs, helpful for redundancy in the case of network downtime, switching sponsors, or ensuring the best available roaming option.
- Reduced logistics overhead: No shipping, stocking, or manual SIM insertion.
- Better device design: eSIM modules are smaller, tamper-resistant, and ideal for IoT or rugged environments.
- Remote updates: Operators can refresh roaming profiles, update carrier policies, or switch connectivity plans without physical intervention.
- Improved reliability: eSIM ensures consistent connection for global devices that cannot afford downtime.
Sponsored roaming combined with eSIM eliminates friction between ideation, device manufacture, deployment, and management, facilitating building global connectivity faster than ever before.
The Perfect Partner
for Sponsored Roaming
Telna is a recognized champion in the sponsored roaming space. Our solutions empower businesses of all types, and with us, you can easily expand coverage, enhance customer experience, and enter new markets without the complexity of maintaining countless roaming agreements. What’s more, we also provide a Connectivity Hub that ensures your end users get the best rates, increasing brand loyalty and supporting your operations.
Whether you’re looking to support travellers, enabling global IoT deployments, or supporting multi-border enterprise mobility, we deliver the connectivity you need. Unlock your global potential, backed by an eSIM partner built for scale, reliability and simplicity.
Interested in elevating your offering? Find out how Telna can help you expand here.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sponsored Roaming
Yes. Sponsored roaming is widely used for IoT because it offers broad, stable global coverage through a single integration. IoT devices benefit from simplified connectivity, predictable performance, and reduced configuration effort. When combined with eSIM or multi-IMSI technology, operators can remotely manage profiles, switch networks, and maintain reliability across borders. This makes sponsored roaming ideal for large distributed IoT fleets that require consistent, long-term connectivity.
Sponsored roaming typically supports 2G, 3G, 4G/LTE, LTE-M, NB-IoT, and increasingly 5G NSA and SA, depending on the sponsor’s roaming footprint. Because sponsors continually update their agreements, operators automatically gain access to new technologies like VoLTE roaming or expanded IoT radio support.