The advent of 5G technology is revolutionizing the way we connect while traveling, with a remarkable surge in the number of roaming subscribers. A recent study by Juniper Research reveals that the global count of roaming subscribers utilizing 5G services is set to skyrocket from just 4.5 million in 2021 to an astonishing 210 million by 2026. This shift not only highlights the growing demand for faster and more reliable connectivity among travelers but also underscores the emergence of a new breed of tech-savvy adventurers—5G Roamers—who are eager to take advantage of the enhanced capabilities that 5G networks offer.

As this trend unfolds, it opens up exciting possibilities for travelers seeking seamless connectivity across the globe. As the international travel industry recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is recommended that operators must now focus on increasing 5G roaming support to accommodate the future rise in demand for data when roaming over 5G networks.

5G Roamers refers to travelers who utilize 5G mobile networks while roaming in foreign countries. As 5G technology becomes more widespread, these individuals can take advantage of significantly faster data speeds, lower latency, and improved connectivity compared to previous generations of mobile networks (such as 4G LTE).

The new research, 5G Roaming Strategies: Future Outlook, Opportunities & Market Forecasts 2021-2026, urges roaming vendors to develop 5G-enabled roaming features such as:

1. Roaming analytics
2. Sponsored roaming
3. Steering of roaming

These services will support the management of an increasing number of 5G roaming connections, the rise in demand for 5G roaming data, and help operators to maximize 5G roaming monetization.

5G Roamers Data to Represent 115 Million Hours of 4K Video by 2026

The report predicts that, as 5G roaming proliferates, vendor competition around the 5G-enabled roaming services mentioned above will intensify. Subscribers will expect comparable levels of bandwidth and latency when roaming over 5G to home network connectivity, and roaming vendors must accommodate this demand via value-added services.

The study projects that global roaming data traffic from 5G subscribers will increase from 2.6 PB in 2021 to 770 PB by 2026; representing enough data to stream 115 million hours of 4K video from platforms like Netflix.

5G Technology to Necessitate Roaming Overhaul 

In addition, the research found that this anticipated rise in data will necessitate the establishment of novel agreements that explicitly cover 5G roaming data, and provide roaming subscribers with comparable user experiences whilst roaming.

Research author Scarlett Woodford noted

“As demand for international travel returns, operators must adjust to the significant uptake of 5G subscriptions during the pandemic. A failure to provide 5G roaming capabilities in key travel destinations will diminish brand reputation amongst subscribers and lead to churn to competitors”