How to plan a multi-country deployment
Selling or deploying IoT abroad multiplies the headaches: roaming regulation, uneven coverage, time zones, taxation. This guide orders the decisions you must take before manufacturing or shipping the first device.
- 1
List countries and estimated volume per country
80% Europe + 20% LATAM is not the same as equal split. Distribution determines whether one roaming SIM works or you need split contracts.
- 2
Identify permanent-roaming restrictions
Brazil, Turkey, India, China and others block foreign SIMs after 2-6 months. If your volume there exceeds 10%, plan eUICC or local SIM from the start.
- 3
Pick the SIM model
Classic roaming for EU + USA. Multi-IMSI or eUICC with regional profiles to cover restricted countries. Negotiate with your aggregator which profiles to load and when.
- 4
Validate per-country technical coverage
LTE-M or NB-IoT are not everywhere. If your product is LPWA, list countries by available tech. Where it is missing, fallback Cat-1 bis.
- 5
Define a global APN/IP plan
Decide between a single private APN session with one global exit (variable latency) or regional gateways (more complex, better latency and data compliance).
- 6
Validate taxation and contracts
Some countries (India especially) require local contracts and local invoicing. Your IoT aggregator must handle it or refer you to a local one.
- 7
Pilot in 2-3 representative countries
Measure real coverage, latency, support, and admin behavior. Tune the global plan before scaling.
Common pitfalls
- ·Forgetting permanent roaming and discovering it after 90 days with silent devices.
- ·Assuming LTE-M is where LTE is: often not.
- ·Lacking a local contract in countries that require it (tax and support trouble).
- ·Underestimating time zones: support running on CET means 8 operational-hour lag in Mexico.
Checklist
- ☐Country list with volume and lifecycle
- ☐Regulatory restrictions documented
- ☐SIM model chosen (eUICC or roaming)
- ☐LPWA coverage validated or plan B
- ☐Global APN/IP plan defined
- ☐Local taxation/contracts resolved
FAQ
Which countries restrict permanent roaming?+
Best-known: Brazil, Turkey, India, China, Russia. Some African countries also enforce limits. Always check current regulation with your aggregator before each deployment.
Do I need a local entity in the country to sell IoT?+
Most of the time no: you ship hardware from anywhere. The regulator may require a local SIM contract or a license. India and Brazil are the strictest cases.
More guides