5G Roaming: Everything You Need to Know

Deboshree Sarkar  I   Head of Marketing   I  November 12, 2024

As 5G networks roll out across the globe, the way we connect when traveling is about to change. With the promise of ultra-fast speeds, lower latency, and support for billions of devices, 5G will unlock new possibilities for consumers and businesses. However, ensuring smooth roaming on 5G networks isn't as simple as flipping a switch. It comes with unique challenges that telecom operators must address to make the transition seamless.

At Titan.ium, we understand the complexities of 5G roaming. Our platform offers solutions that help operators manage these challenges effectively bridging legacy networks, maintaining security, and ensuring smooth handovers between different operators.

What is 5G Roaming, and Why is It Important?

5G roaming enables users to continue using mobile services—like calls, messaging, and data—when traveling across networks or countries. However, it’s not just about consumers streaming videos on the go. With 5G, industries like automotive, healthcare, and logistics rely heavily on cross-border connectivity to power IoT devices and smart infrastructure. Roaming networks now need to support enterprise services, machine-to-machine communication, and private networks.

This makes roaming more than just a consumer service—it’s a crucial piece of global connectivity that operators must get right, whether it’s for smartphones or connected devices spread across borders.

What Makes 5G Roaming Challenging?

While 5G promises a better user experience, it brings new challenges for operators:

For the foreseeable future, 5G won’t fully replace 4G networks. Instead, operators will run both in parallel, meaning they must ensure seamless handovers between the two. If a traveler moves from a 5G area to a 4G zone, their service needs to continue without interruptions.

Titan.ium’s Diameter Signaling Controller (DSC) bridges the gap by ensuring communication between legacy 4G systems and new 5G environments, so users don’t notice a difference as they move between networks.

5G networks are designed to handle billions of IoT devices, from smart home gadgets to sensors used in agriculture or city infrastructure. This surge in devices leads to a significant increase in signaling traffic—the messages sent between network components to manage connectivity and services.

This is where Titan.ium’s Service Communication Proxy (SCP) steps in. It ensures that signaling traffic is handled efficiently, optimizing network resources and preventing slowdowns, especially when thousands of devices connect simultaneously.

With more interconnected networks and devices, security risks grow. Operators need to secure their systems from fraud, unauthorized access, and data breaches, especially as 5G opens up new points of entry for attackers.

Titan.ium’s Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP) adds an extra layer of security at the edge of the network. It filters and screens messages between operators, preventing suspicious activity and keeping networks safe from attacks.

One of 5G’s biggest advantages is network slicing—the ability to create virtual slices of the network tailored to specific use cases, like low-latency applications or high-speed streaming. But ensuring that these slices are properly applied when users roam between countries isn’t easy.

Titan.ium’s Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) makes sure that the correct network slice is used for each service, maintaining the quality and performance that customers expect, even when they’re abroad.

Imagine you're on an important call or streaming a live video, and you switch networks mid-session—without the right setup, your session could drop. With 5G’s more complex architecture, maintaining session continuity during roaming requires careful coordination.

Titan.ium’s Binding Support Function (BSF) ensures that ongoing sessions, like calls or streaming, stay connected as users move between networks. It makes sure policies are enforced smoothly, so users don’t experience disruptions.

With 5G’s modular setup, operators need to dynamically discover and connect the right network functions when users roam. For example, when a user enters a foreign network, the system must quickly identify the appropriate network elements to handle the traffic.

Titan.ium’s Network Repository Function (NRF) simplifies this process, ensuring operators can locate and connect the right functions in real-time, so services are delivered without delay.

Every country has its own rules around data privacy and network security, making compliance tricky for operators that offer roaming services. Operators must meet these local requirements while delivering a seamless experience for users. Titan.ium’s solutions are built to help operators stay compliant with international regulations while ensuring smooth inter-operator communication.

How Titan.ium Platform is Shaping the Future of 5G Roaming

Titan.ium’s integrated platform helps operators overcome the complexities of 5G roaming and deliver an enhanced experience to their customers. Here’s a quick look at how our key solutions come together:

• DSC (Diameter Signaling Controller): Smooths the transition between 4G and 5G networks.
• SCP (Service Communication Proxy): Manages signaling traffic to prevent network slowdowns.
• SEPP (Security Edge Protection Proxy): Secures communication between operators and blocks potential threats.
• NSSF (Network Slice Selection Function): Ensures that the right network slice is applied during roaming.
• BSF (Binding Support Function): Maintains session continuity across different networks.
• NRF (Network Repository Function): Helps operators quickly discover and connect the right network functions.
  
  

Unlocking the Potential of 5G Roaming

As the world embraces 5G, seamless roaming becomes essential—not just for consumers but also for businesses relying on IoT and smart services. The challenges are significant, from managing complex networks and preventing security risks to supporting network slicing and maintaining service quality.

With Titan.ium's solutions, operators are well-prepared to tackle these challenges. Our platform ensures smooth interoperability between networks, secure communications, and uninterrupted service, enabling operators to deliver a superior roaming experience and unlock new business opportunities in the 5G era.

 For more information contact our team