The total number of roaming connections is anticipated to grow 350 percent over the next five years, with the growing presence of 5G and IoT roaming devices being major driving factors.
According to the latest worldwide market study by Juniper Research, growth in global roaming clearing revenues will reach $2.5 billion in 2024.
This 30 percent increase will be driven by the rise in 5G roaming connections as mobile service providers continue 5G network expansion.
5G Roaming Market Development
For network operators and clearing houses to capitalize on this opportunity, Juniper says they must focus on implementing new technologies and new growth strategies.
A major trend is the growth in Internet of Things (IoT) roaming devices, anticipated to reach 595 million globally by 2028. While this brings opportunities, mobile operators see limited revenue per Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) connection.
Clearing houses can help by providing highly scalable cloud-based services to handle increasing data volumes. Micro-segmentation will also be key, allowing granular policies to monetize specific device behaviors.
Juniper forecasts over 6 billion 5G connections by 2028, with 5G roamers making up 27 percent of all roamers. 5G enhances the roaming experience, driving growth in devices like roaming tablets.
According to the Juniper assessment, clearing houses should arm network operators with analytics to forecast 5G roaming revenues, demonstrating value during 5G network launches.
Regions are also collaborating to reduce roaming charges like the EU's "Roam Like at Home" through 2032. This improves the consumer roaming experience but diminishes operator revenue growth.
Clearing houses can help operators maximize roaming monetization and efficiency by automating services and implementing Billing and Charging Evolution (BCE) protocols. BCE provides detailed roaming data visibility, enabling tailored charging models.
Other key recommendations include investing in regulatory management tools to centralize compliance as regulation's complexity increases.
Additionally, Juniper analysts believe that improving traffic segmentation is critical for understanding network roaming activities in detail.
Overall, data and financial clearing houses should focus on flexibility, granularity, and automation when developing new roaming monetization strategies.
Outlook for 5G Roaming Applications Growth
Implementing BCE protocols, machine learning, and cloud-based architectures will allow clearing solutions to scale while providing mobile network operators with the actionable insights needed to capitalize on emerging roaming trends.
As the roaming landscape evolves, Juniper predicts agile clearing houses that can pivot their solutions will be best positioned for net-new growth.
That said, I anticipate the costs of roaming will continue to decline, leading to a greater number of roaming devices on mobile networks. This will be led by mobile consumer subscribers, who are likely to be enticed by the lower roaming costs.