Global Roaming SIMs that scale with your IoT

Global Roaming IoT SIMs for Devices Deployed Worldwide

A global roaming IoT SIM is one SIM that connects your devices to mobile networks in many countries, so the same SIM works wherever the device is installed or travels. Millbeck supplies global roaming IoT SIMs with unsteered access to more than 600 networks in over 180 countries, managed from one platform.

Multi-country deployments raise three problems that single-country SIMs rarely handle well: unreliable connections at borders, the cost of swapping physical SIMs when coverage or regulation changes, and the difficulty of reaching devices securely once they are in the field. Our global roaming SIMs address all three with unsteered network access, eUICC remote profile management, and fixed IP options for secure remote access.

Unsteered Access to 600+ Networks Across 180+ Countries

Our global roaming IoT SIMs are unsteered, so your devices can choose from every available partner network in a country rather than being pushed onto one. Steering is when the SIM provider forces devices onto a preferred network, usually for cost reasons, even where another network offers a better signal.

With more than 600 networks in over 180 countries, a device crossing European borders, working at a remote industrial site in North America or installed in Asia-Pacific can connect to the strongest local network. That means fewer coverage gaps where one operator's signal is weak, and fewer devices stuck on a poor connection when a better network is in range.

Remote Profile Management With eUICC

eUICC (Embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card) is SIM technology that holds several operator profiles and lets you switch between them remotely. eUICC is standard for our global deployments, and most of our global roaming SIMs use it, so a device can change network profile without anyone touching the SIM.

eUICC lets you ship one SIM type to every market and change network profiles over the air. If an operator withdraws a network, or a country restricts permanent roaming, you can change profile without an engineer visit or a SIM swap. Brazil and Turkey both restrict permanent roaming for IoT devices, and we can provide options that keep devices connected legally in both markets. For OEMs shipping into several markets from one production line, eUICC removes per-country SIM variants from the bill of materials. See our IoT eSIMs page for more detail.

Fixed Private IPs for Secure Remote Access

A fixed private IP gives each SIM a permanent address on a private network, so your systems can reach every device without exposing it to the public internet. Most standard global SIMs sit behind Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT), a method operators use to share one public IP address across many devices. CGNAT blocks unsolicited inbound connections, so you cannot reliably reach a specific device from your own systems.

We offer fixed private IPs across our global coverage as an option, and include them whenever a VPN is specified. Combined with a private APN (Access Point Name, the gateway that separates your SIMs' traffic from the public internet) and an IPsec VPN link from our core network to yours, this gives you an isolated data path between your devices and your systems. IPsec is a standard for encrypting traffic between two networks.

This setup lets your team reach devices anywhere in the world for SCADA (industrial control system) polling, BMS (building management system) changes, firmware updates or diagnostics. We recommend it by default for operational technology, critical infrastructure, and any device that should not be reachable from the open internet.

Fixed Public IPs Where Direct Access Is Required

A fixed public IP makes a device directly reachable from the internet at the same address every time. Some deployments need this: legacy SCADA systems with hard-coded endpoints, firewalls that only accept traffic from listed IP addresses, or services hosted on the device and used by a customer's own network.

We offer fixed public IPs for these deployments. Because the device is reachable from the internet, we will help you lock down inbound access, for example by allowing connections only from known IP addresses at the router firewall. A fixed public IP also simplifies third-party integration and suits VPN termination or gateway applications where a private APN is not practical. We will help you weigh private against public addressing at the design stage, so each deployment gets the right model. For guidance on securing internet-facing devices, see our IoT SIM Security page.

Where Global Roaming SIMs Are Used

Global roaming IoT SIMs suit any deployment where devices cross borders or ship into more than one country. Typical Millbeck global roaming deployments include:

• Fleet telematics: HGVs, vans and specialist vehicles crossing borders, with one SIM working across Europe and beyond.
• OEM product lines: connected hardware shipped into several markets from one production line, with local profiles loaded once devices arrive in-country.
• Remote monitoring and industrial IoT: pipeline monitoring, water networks, mining sites and offshore installations spread across several countries.
• EV charging: charge point operators and manufacturers serving the UK, Europe and further afield on one SIM contract.
• Asset tracking: high-value equipment and shipping containers moving through international supply chains.
• Rental and field service equipment: kit deployed temporarily in different countries, where the same SIM and hardware must work wherever the asset lands.

Managing Global IoT SIM Estates

Our SIM management platform lets you control every global roaming SIM from one place, whatever country it is in. You can activate, suspend or retire SIMs as devices go into and out of service, and apply group policies across the estate.

The platform also suspends a SIM automatically when its usage passes a threshold you set, which protects you from unexpected data costs. You get all of this under one agreement with us, rather than a separate contract with an operator in each market.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is a Global Roaming IoT SIM?

A global roaming IoT SIM is a SIM that connects a device to mobile networks in many countries without needing a different SIM for each market. Millbeck global roaming IoT SIMs give unsteered access to more than 600 networks in over 180 countries, so a device can move between countries, or ship to a new market, on the same SIM.

Can I Use a Global Roaming SIM Permanently in One Country?

A global roaming SIM can be used long term in most countries, but some countries restrict permanent roaming and expect devices to use a local network after a set period. Brazil and Turkey are two examples. eUICC is standard for Millbeck global deployments, and we can provide options that keep devices connected in countries with these rules.

What Is SGP.32?

SGP.32 is the GSMA specification for remote SIM provisioning on IoT devices, first published in May 2023. Earlier eSIM standards were designed for phones, where a person approves each profile change. SGP.32 is built for headless devices (devices with no screen or user) and lets you manage profiles centrally across large numbers of devices. SGP.32 is not yet available on every SIM, so ask us which of our SIMs support it.

Should I Choose a Fixed Private IP or a Fixed Public IP?

A fixed private IP suits most IoT deployments, because it lets you reach devices through a private APN and VPN without exposing them to the internet. A fixed public IP suits deployments that must accept direct connections from the internet, such as legacy systems with fixed endpoints. Millbeck offers both on global roaming SIMs and will help you choose at the design stage.

How Is a Global Roaming SIM Different From a UK Roaming SIM?

A UK roaming SIM connects to more than one UK mobile network to keep devices online if one network fails. A global roaming SIM connects to networks in many countries, suiting devices that cross borders or OEMs shipping to several markets. Global roaming SIMs usually include eUICC for remote profile changes, which UK-only deployments rarely need. See our UK Roaming SIMs page.

Which Routers Work With Millbeck Global Roaming SIMs?

Millbeck global roaming SIMs work in any unlocked cellular router or IoT device that supports the mobile bands used in the countries where it is deployed. We supply routers from Teltonika, Proroute, Robustel, Milesight and Ericsson Cradlepoint, and as a Teltonika Diamond distributor we have particular depth with Teltonika hardware. We provide APN settings and configuration help for the router you choose.