What is permanent roaming
Quick definition
Permanent roaming is when a SIM connects continuously (beyond a few months) to a network other than its home carrier, never returning home. In IoT it is the norm, not the exception: a tracker deployed in Mexico can live for 10 years on Mexican networks with a Spanish-issued SIM.
Why some countries block it
Regulators such as Anatel (Brazil), BTK (Turkey), DoT (India), or China's MIIT see permanent roaming as a way to bypass local taxation and oversight. They impose time limits (60-90 days) after which the foreign SIM stops working or must renew to a local IMSI.
- ·Brazil: 60-90 days
- ·Turkey: 120 days
- ·India: 6 months
- ·China: variable, mostly blocked
How it is worked around legitimately
Multi-IMSI or eUICC SIMs swap to a local IMSI before the block kicks in. Serious providers hold direct agreements with carriers in these markets and the transition is transparent.
FAQ
Will my Spanish SIM stop working in Brazil?+
If it has been on Brazilian networks more than 60-90 days under the same IMSI, yes. The way around it is a Multi-IMSI or eUICC SIM with a Brazilian profile loaded.
Is permanent roaming allowed inside the EU?+
Yes, with no restriction. EU rules removed surcharges and allow indefinite use across member states under fair-use policies.
Related terms
What is Multi-IMSI
Multi-IMSI is a SIM technology that hosts several IMSIs (subscriber identifiers) on a single card and picks one based on country, signal quality, or cost. The device authenticates as a customer of carrier A in one place and as carrier B in another, with no hardware change.
What is VPLMN
VPLMN (Visited Public Land Mobile Network) is the mobile network a SIM attaches to when away from its HPLMN (the home carrier's network). In international IoT, the VPLMN choice drives roaming cost, latency, and tech availability (LTE-M, NB-IoT) in each country.
What is permanent roaming
Permanent roaming is when a SIM connects continuously (beyond a few months) to a network other than its home carrier, never returning home. In IoT it is the norm, not the exception: a tracker deployed in Mexico can live for 10 years on Mexican networks with a Spanish-issued SIM.