Deutsche Telekom has announced a significant milestone in its global connectivity journey—its 5G roaming service is now available in over 100 countries worldwide. The expansion, unveiled in June 2025, is more than a symbolic achievement. It marks a pivotal moment in how international travelers, business professionals, and enterprises experience mobile connectivity abroad.

The company’s latest move reflects a major leap forward from where it stood just two years ago. In 2023, Deutsche Telekom’s 5G roaming coverage extended to around 60 countries through partnerships with approximately 120 operators. Today, the operator boasts over 220 international roaming agreements and full 5G support in more than 100 destinations—doubling its reach and making it one of the most robust 5G roaming networks in the world.

Why This Matters

For end users, this translates into faster mobile internet, lower latency, and a more reliable connection when abroad—whether they’re vacationing in French Polynesia or attending a conference in Singapore. Countries such as Gambia, Guam, Panama, Senegal, and Tunisia are among the newly added destinations where Deutsche Telekom subscribers can access 5G while roaming. This is especially relevant as global travel rebounds and users increasingly expect their digital experience abroad to match what they’re used to at home.

Behind the Scenes: The Roaming Ecosystem

While most of this expansion is currently built on non-standalone (NSA) 5G infrastructure, which still relies partially on 4G cores, Deutsche Telekom has also been pushing hard toward full 5G Standalone (SA) roaming capabilities. That step is crucial for unlocking advanced enterprise features like network slicing, ultra-low latency services, and secure IoT connectivity. The German telecom giant has already completed several 5G SA roaming trials in cooperation with major partners, including Sunrise in Switzerland, AIS in Thailand, and T-Mobile US. These collaborations demonstrate a clear commitment not just to reach more destinations, but to offer a superior roaming experience that supports both individual and business needs.

The implications for enterprises are particularly significant. Full 5G SA roaming allows companies to deploy services globally with the same level of control and security they have at home. From smart manufacturing to real-time logistics tracking, mobile connectivity is no longer limited by borders. Deutsche Telekom is already offering robust security solutions as part of its Magenta Security Roaming suite, which includes next-generation protocols like SEPP for 5G signaling protection and advanced firewalls for legacy networks like SS7 and Diameter. This makes their offering one of the most secure roaming ecosystems on the market.

The expansion also demonstrates Deutsche Telekom’s growing influence in the wholesale and intercarrier space. Through its Global Carrier division, the company has added new Points of Presence (PoPs) in key international hubs—including a recent launch in Dallas—to improve performance and interconnection with partners in the Americas. These infrastructure investments are designed to ensure that the benefits of 5G roaming aren’t just available on paper but translate into real, high-quality user experiences on the ground.

What Travelers and Businesses Should Know

From a consumer perspective, the rollout is well-timed. Summer travel across Europe and beyond is in full swing, and Deutsche Telekom customers can already take advantage of 5G roaming in numerous popular holiday destinations. Within the EU and EEA, roaming continues to be covered by standard mobile plans thanks to the EU’s Roam Like at Home regulation, meaning customers can use their data abroad without additional costs—provided that the partner network supports 5G.

✅ For Deutsche Telekom Customers

For travel outside of Europe, Deutsche Telekom offers several affordable roaming packages. Its “Travel Mobil” plan, for instance, includes 1 GB of data, 60 minutes of calls, and 100 SMS starting at around €14.95—enabling access to 5G in supported countries without excessive roaming fees. These plans are particularly attractive for frequent travelers and digital nomads who want to stay connected without the hassle of buying local SIMs or dealing with slow fallback networks.

This expansion is also part of a broader trend among global operators to build connectivity beyond traditional terrestrial networks. Deutsche Telekom has been exploring hybrid solutions, including drone-based LTE networks and satellite-powered 5G IoT coverage. Its partnership with Luxembourg-based satellite operator OQ Technology will enable 5G roaming beyond the reach of cell towers—particularly useful for maritime, mining, and logistics applications in hard-to-reach areas.

Of course, rolling out a truly global 5G roaming network isn’t without its challenges. Not all partner networks are fully equipped to support 5G SA, and in many regions, regulatory hurdles and infrastructure limitations still pose barriers. But Deutsche Telekom’s strategy is clearly focused on long-term leadership. By investing in core technologies like SEPP and collaborating with leading operators across regions, it is laying the foundation for a future where seamless, secure, and high-performance connectivity is available wherever users go.

In a world where mobility and connectivity are inseparable, Deutsche Telekom’s 5G roaming expansion represents more than just a technical upgrade. It’s a commitment to ensuring that customers—whether individual users or global enterprises—can stay connected, productive, and secure wherever their journeys take them.

As more countries join the 5G roaming club and full 5G SA becomes standard, Deutsche Telekom is well-positioned not just to participate in this evolution, but to shape it. With over 100 countries already online and more to come, the future of international mobile connectivity is looking fast, secure, and remarkably borderless.