Telecom operator Zet-Mobile, based in Tajikistan, has announced the rollout of 5G roaming services with partner networks in nine countries.

The new offering gives its subscribers access to 5G speeds while travelling abroad, marking a significant expansion in the operator’s service portfolio.

What is 5G Roaming

Roaming lets mobile subscribers use their home provider’s service when they travel beyond their home network by connecting to other operators’ networks. 5G roaming means that rather than falling back to 4G or 3G, users can access 5G speeds, lower latency, and enhanced capacity. This is especially valuable for high-bandwidth use cases like streaming high-definition video, video conferencing, cloud services, and for emerging applications like AR/VR or Internet of Things (IoT) when travelling.

Key Details of Zet-Mobile’s Launch

According to public reports:

• Zet-Mobile is now offering 5G roaming services in nine foreign countries.
• One of the partner networks for roaming mentioned is Beeline in Uzbekistan.
• The initiative enables Zet-Mobile customers to access 5G networks of partner operators as they travel, instead of being limited to older generation technologies abroad.

The announcement does not yet include full technical or commercial details, such as which frequency bands will be supported, price surcharges, whether the roaming is 5G Standalone (SA) or Non-Standalone (NSA), or data caps while roaming. These are important for customer experience.

List of partner countries and operators:

A smartphone with 5G support is required to use the service. Ensure you are not within the 5G network coverage area of our partner operator (listed above), and then select the 5G network in your phone’s settings.

To check the coverage of 5G, use the interactive map on the operator’s website you plan to visit, or contact our support service. Also, while roaming, check if the 5G icon is displayed on your phone next to the signal level—this means a successful connection to the fifth-generation network.

Implications & Significance

For Zet-Mobile subscribers:

• Better connectivity abroad: Access to faster data, lower latency, which improves streaming, video calls, etc.
• More consistent service: Users won’t need to downgrade to 4G/LTE when travelling to countries where Zet has roaming agreements with 5G-capable partners.
• Enhanced competitiveness: This positions Zet-Mobile more favorably among regional carriers, particularly for customers who travel often.

For the operator:

• New revenue streams: Roaming tends to generate higher usage and often higher fees.
• Strategic partnerships: The need to partner with other operators with mature 5G infrastructure.

Challenges and considerations:

• Cost: Roaming 5G may come with higher fees or surcharges; pricing will be key.
• Coverage consistency: Even in partner countries, 5G availability might be patchy, especially for 5G SA or mmWave bands.
• Device compatibility: Users’ phones must support the relevant 5G bands and roaming features.

Broader Industry Context

The move by Zet-Mobile is part of a growing trend: operators worldwide are expanding roaming to include 5G. As more countries deploy robust 5G networks, demands from consumers for consistent high-speed service when abroad rise. According to a market forecast, the number of 5G roaming connections is expected to rise sharply in the coming years.