Retail Roaming Market: 2026-2031

Our Retail Roaming research suite for mobile network operators (MNOs) and mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) provides detailed analysis and strategic recommendations for the next era of retail roaming. Juniper Research defines retail roaming as roaming services delivered to human mobile subscribers’ home SIMs, with retail roaming revenue referring to revenue generated by MNOs and MVNOs from the end users (either enterprise or consumer), rather than wholesale revenue.

The report projects retail roaming to drop by more than a quarter; necessitating a complete redesign of MNOs’ and MVNOs’ retail roaming offerings and business strategies. It identifies travel eSIMs as the catalyst for the market’s decline - with both MNO-owned and third-party travel eSIMs rapidly gaining market share due to lower costs and improved user experiences - as well as close integration into travel ecosystems and booking flows. At the same time, regulatory pressures are compressing revenue; further reducing future revenue opportunities for MNOs and MVNOs.

The insightful report provides strategic analysis and recommendations for how MNOs and MVNOs can manage these changing market conditions. Additionally, it delivers analysis and recommendations for the different business models used to monetise retail roaming.

International roaming is increasingly dependent on the underlying IPX infrastructure that enables operators to deliver a seamless experience across borders. IPX providers play a critical role in enabling secure, reliable and efficient exchange of signalling, data and roaming traffic between networks, allowing customers to remain connected as they travel internationally.

To provide a holistic view of the roaming landscape, the research suite considers both retail roaming performance and the competitive IPX provider landscape. The IPX analysis complements the retail roaming by looking at the underlying connectivity ecosystem and the providers enabling these services.

Bringing the two perspectives together helps to assess not only what is happening in the roaming market, but also how the underlying IPX ecosystem supports it. This provides greater insight into the role of IPX in delivering seamless roaming, the capabilities and positioning of competing providers, and where opportunities may exist to improve connectivity, service quality and the overall roaming proposition.

The research suite comprises several different options that can be purchased separately, including access to a data and forecasting document, a strategy and trends document detailing critical trends in the market, and strategic recommendations for increasing retail roaming adoption and usage over the next five years. It also includes our Competitor Leaderboard for IPX providers, which can be purchased separately, that contains analysis and market sizing for 16 leading IPX providers.

Collectively, these elements provide a critical tool for understanding the retail roaming market; allowing MNOs and other stakeholders to optimise their future business strategies and product or service development, and providing them with a competitive advantage in the market.

All report content is delivered in the English language.

• Key Takeaways & Strategic Recommendations: In-depth analysis of key development opportunities and findings within the retail roaming market. This is accompanied by strategic recommendations for MNOs wanting to maximise revenue growth in the retail roaming space.
• Market Dynamics: Insights into major trends and opportunities in the retail roaming market, including analysis of how regulatory and competitive pressures are reshaping the roaming market, how country-level changes are unfolding, and what operators must do to adapt.
• Benchmark Industry Forecasts: The suite provides five-year forecasts for the market growth of retail roaming, including outbound roaming subscribers, split by 4G and 5G roaming; silent roamers; and a total market value for retail roaming.
• Juniper Research Competitor Leaderboard: Key player capability and capacity assessment for 16 leading vendors in the IPX market; featuring detailed analysis of each vendor’s offering and how they compare within the market.

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