Technology Summit: Roaming in Africa

This session will delve into the challenges, opportunities, and innovations surrounding roaming services across Africa. We will discuss practical solutions for improving roaming connectivity, affordability, and user experience for both domestic and international travellers.

In this fireside chat, KPN (a small and independent operator exceling in the international roaming market) will share practical experiences from the global roaming field, together with lessons learned from working with partners across different regions. The conversation will cover how roaming is changing as new use cases emerge, including the growing impact of M2M traffic, the rise of travel-SIM propositions, the role of direct-to-device satellite services and the continued operational importance of VoLTE roaming.

With a specific focus on the African market, the session will explore where global roaming developments meet regional realities. From the perspective of a non-African operator, KPN will discuss commercial and operational challenges, the importance of resilient partnerships and the need to adapt roaming relationships to a market that is becoming more complex, more data-driven and more business-critical.

The session offers a pragmatic operator view on roaming, based on real experience rather than theory.

Additionally, we will explore the latest technological advancements and collaborative strategies to overcome barriers such as high costs, inconsistent coverage, and interoperability issues.

Attendees will gain valuable insights into emerging trends, best practices, and actionable approaches for fostering seamless and equitable roaming access, ultimately supporting Africa’s region.