Article | 28 March 2019

Local SIM Or Roaming SIM - Which One Is Better For Your Business?

Blue Wireless
Ivan 4
Written by
Ivan Landen, CEO Global

One question we often get from customers is what SIM to use in what situation.

The starting point, of course, is to get 'pooled' data SIMs suitable for IoT and WAN project use, which offer the reliability and usage options needed for business and cost-efficiency for larger deployments. But when do you need local SIMs and when are roaming SIMs more suitable? Here are some guidelines:

As Blue Wireless offers both options, here are some recommendations on what type to use when:


Local SIMs are ideal for the following situations:

  • High-speed access, since local SIMs have minimal latency and get maximum priority on the primary network, in many cases reaching 100Mbps or more
  • High usage situations, where local SIMs offer the lowest cost per GB/TB.
  • Fixed locations, such as branches, where there is no need to move to different networks.

Roaming SIMs are ideal for the following situations:

  • Incidental access, such as for backup or out of band management, whereby usage across multiple SIMs across multiple countries can be combined in a single data pool for maximum cost efficiency.

  • Moving vehicles and vessels, such as for the Maritime industry where access to multiple networks across countries is essential to ensure uninterrupted connectivity.

For Blue Wireless, we offer both types including local, low-cost SIMs in 10 countries across AsiaPac and roaming access in 50+ countries in AsiaPac and Europe. Here are our options:

  • Local Pool Plans in 10 countries in the Asia Pacific
    Our local pool data SIMs offer the highest performance and lowest cost per country, ideal for your high-speed data requirements and local IoT projects — with some being included with portal access for self-management.
  • Seamless access in 15 countries in Asia Pacific
    Our Blue Wireless Roaming card offers access across 15 countries using a single shared datapool concept. Add as many SIMs as you want to your pool and share usage across all countries, for maximum efficiency.
  • Multi-Network access in 30 countries in Europe
    Europe offers a range of possibilities with roaming across 30 countries, in both a low-cost version offering access to one 4G network per country and a high-performance option, offering access to multiple 4G networks per country, for guaranteed always-on connectivity.


Learn more

To find out more about which SIM is right for you, please speak with our specialist through the form below. We'll be able to share more on the rates, options and any technical questions you might have.

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