BICS has secured the top position in the Juniper Research Sponsored Roaming Competitor Leaderboard 2026, outperforming Telna and Vodafone Procure & Connect as mobile operators accelerate investments in 5G, Voice over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE), travel eSIM, and Internet of Things (IoT) roaming services. The study evaluated 14 sponsored roaming vendors, highlighting how next-generation roaming platforms are becoming essential for telecom operators, MVNOs and enterprises seeking seamless global connectivity.
Sponsored roaming is replacing the need for hundreds of bilateral roaming agreements by allowing operators to expand international coverage through a single wholesale partner. Vendors were assessed on capabilities including VoLTE roaming, 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) roaming, IoT connectivity, analytics, business intelligence, commercial flexibility, network coverage and product strategy. Advanced analytics and automation are emerging as major differentiators as operators seek to improve roaming quality, optimize traffic and generate new revenue streams.
BICS retained the leadership position due to its strong VoLTE, 5G NSA and analytics capabilities. The company operates one of the world’s largest wholesale communications platforms with more than 700 direct operator connections, connectivity across 180 countries, 143 Points of Presence (PoPs) and access to more than 1,000 mobile destinations worldwide. Its portfolio spans international voice, messaging, IPX, fraud protection, cloud communications, eSIM enablement, signalling and IoT connectivity, enabling operators to consolidate multiple international services through a single provider.
BICS, Telna, Vodafone Procure & Connect, Orange Wholesale and Telefónica Global Solutions are the market’s Established Leaders.
Telna strengthened its position through travel eSIM, MVNO enablement and IoT connectivity, while Vodafone Procure & Connect leverages more than 700 connectivity partners across over 210 destinations, supports more than €1.5 billion in annual roaming and voice trading, carries over 25 billion international voice minutes every year and provides access to around 5 billion subscribers.
Vodafone also brings more than 20 years of sponsored roaming experience. Orange Wholesale serves more than 200 mobile operators across 220 countries and territories and employs approximately 150,000 people, including around 8,000 researchers and experts focused on network innovation.
VoLTE roaming is becoming important as operators retire legacy 2G and 3G networks, making IP-based voice services critical for international travellers and enterprise users. By contrast, 5G Standalone (SA) roaming will have limited commercial impact over the next 12 months, as existing 4G LTE and 5G NSA networks already meet most roaming requirements.
There will be rapid growth in IoT roaming across connected vehicles, logistics, healthcare, industrial automation and smart utilities. As roaming traffic expands beyond smartphones to billions of connected devices, providers will need scalable IoT infrastructure, advanced analytics, intelligent automation and flexible commercial models. Juniper also identifies the GSMA Billing and Charging Evolution (BCE) standard as a key enabler of next-generation roaming by replacing the traditional Transferred Account Procedure (TAP) system with more automated, real-time settlement for 5G and IoT services.
Looking ahead, sponsored roaming will evolve into a strategic foundation for global digital connectivity. Vendors investing in VoLTE expansion, 5G NSA, IoT enablement, analytics platforms and GSMA BCE adoption are expected to lead the next phase of growth as the market shifts toward intelligent, data-driven roaming services supporting mobile operators, MVNOs, enterprises and travel eSIM providers worldwide.
FASNA SHABEER