Key takeaways
 

  • Roaming lets customers use another operator’s network when traveling abroad.
     

  • Orange has more than 700 roaming agreements with operators across over 200 destinations worldwide.
     

  • The growth of eSIM and connected devices makes expertise in managing roaming more important than ever.
     

What is roaming, and how does it work?

Bénédicte David: “Roaming allows customers to use another operator’s network when their own operator’s network isn’t available. That’s particularly useful when traveling abroad. 
 

For example, if you’re an Orange France customer visiting Germany, you won’t find an Orange France network there but Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, or Telefónica. Roaming enables Orange France to arrange for you to use one of these German operators’ network so you can stay connected wherever you go.”

 

From the customer’s point of view, it almost feels like nothing happens.

Bénédicte David
Director of Orange’s Wholesale Line of Business

 

What happens behind the scenes when we cross a border?
 

B.D.: “From the customer’s point of view, it almost feels like nothing happens. But switching from your home network to another operator’s network involves a lot of work behind the scenes. First, your operator needs a roaming agreement with one or more operators in the country you’re visiting. There also needs to be a technical interconnection between the networks. When your phone detects available networks, it can then connect to one of them, provided your home operator has authorized access.

Once connected, the foreign network carries your calls, text messages, and data traffic. Usage information is also exchanged securely between the two operators, enabling your home operator to bill you according to your roaming plan, while the foreign operator charges your home operator for using its network, under the terms of their roaming agreement.”

700+

roaming agreements with operators worldwide

Orange Wholesale is the responsible for roaming within the business. How does it keep services running smoothly?
 

B.D.: “Roaming is actually a complex operation built around three key elements. The first is the technical platforms we call roaming enablers. These allow networks to exchange all the information they need. The second is operational expertise. We need to establish technical connections for each service, whether 2G, 3G, 4G ,or 5G, and manage and monitor traffic to maintain service quality. To help our subsidiaries manage these operations, we set up a dedicated center of expertise 12 years ago: the Roaming Operational Center (ROC), based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The third element is the roaming agreements themselves. And this is another area where Orange has some significant advantages. We have more than 270 million mobile customers across our 26 subsidiaries in Europe and Africa. When those customers travel internationally, the traffic they generate is naturally of interest to operators in the countries they visit. Likewise, the quality of our networks and our 25-plus years of roaming experience make Orange an attractive partner for international operators looking to provide reliable roaming services to their own customers.

Together, these strengths make Orange Wholesale a leading player in roaming, benefiting both our customers and those of our operator partners.”

eSIM is making life easier for travelers. How is it changing the roaming market?
 

B.D.: “eSIM is fundamentally changing how people stay connected when they travel. Traditionally, mobile operators have sold plans to customers living in their own countries. When those customers travel abroad, they use roaming. But eSIM has opened up international connectivity to new global players. These companies operate entirely through digital distribution channels and can reach customers anywhere in the world.

So today, travelers can choose between using their existing operator’s roaming services and buying an eSIM.

This creates two challenges for mobile operators. First, they need to adapt their own roaming offers to meet the new expectations these players have created, particularly when it comes to simplicity, clarity, and choice. That’s what we’ve done at Orange.

But there’s another important point. These new eSIM providers are what we call Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs). They provide mobile services without owning a mobile network. So the second opportunity for network operators like Orange is to provide these new players with international connectivity, using both our own networks and the access we have secured through roaming agreements.”

«eSIM is breaking down traditional telecom boundaries»
Discover our interview with Frédéric Bléhaut.

 

Roaming goes beyond mobile phones. Connected devices need it too. Can you tell us more?
 

B.D.: “Absolutely. People aren’t the only ones who need connectivity. Machines do too. Cars are probably the best example. Today, a car is almost like a smartphone on wheels. It’s packed with sensors and connected systems that support emergency assistance, remote diagnostics, navigation, and entertainment services. And of course, cars move around. Sometimes they cross international borders, so they need the same continuity of service as someone traveling with a smartphone. Major car manufacturers need reliable international coverage to keep their onboard systems working. That’s why they turn to partners who can manage roaming agreements on their behalf. This is the machine-to-machine (M2M) roaming market, and Orange is one of the connectivity providers working with these partners.”

20+ million

connected cars worldwide supported by Orange roaming agreements.

So roaming is becoming increasingly complex to manage?
 

B.D.: “Exactly. The growth of eSIM and M2M, along with changing customer needs, is making roaming negotiations more complicated, particularly for smaller operators. In our sector, roaming agreements are generally renegotiated every year. That takes considerable expertise when you’re dealing with hundreds of partners around the world. With more than 25 years of experience and the scale of the Orange Group behind us, we’ve made our negotiating capabilities available to smaller operators through our new Orange Roaming Broker solution. We introduced it at the latest GSMA WAS (Wholesale Agreements and Solutions) event in Dublin, which brought international operators together and marked the start of the next round of roaming contract negotiations.

We were already providing operators with technical and operational expertise. Now, with this new service, they can go a step further and entrust us with managing their entire roaming business. Our promise is simple: let us handle the complexity so you can focus on creating more value!”

Glossary   

Using a partner operator’s network when your usual operator’s network is unavailable.

A digital SIM that can be activated remotely on a compatible device.

Automatic communication between connected devices.

The global association representing mobile network operators and helping to establish industry standards.

An operator that provides mobile services using a host network, such as Orange. Depending on its business model, an MVNO may manage some or all of its own network infrastructure, SIM cards, commercial offers, and customer relationships.

Orange’s dedicated center of expertise for activating roaming connections, monitoring service quality, and managing roaming back-office operations. It also provides professional services alongside Orange’s signaling and IPX solutions.