Definition
VPLMN (Visited PLMN) is the local operator network that IoT devices access while roaming, as opposed to the HPLMN (Home PLMN). When a device leaves its home area and enters another country, it cannot access the HPLMN and must access it through the VPLMN of a Roaming Partner. In the International IoT Cloud Platform (ICMP), VPLMN is a key dimension for roaming billing and PLMN Selection, and both Rate Card and Roaming Policy are configured according to VPLMN.
Working Principle
When devices roam, they select the access network from the available VPLMN list based on PLMN Selection and Preferred Network strategies. Different VPLMNs correspond to different Roaming Partners, and charges (Rate Card), coverage, and latency may vary significantly. The platform performs billing and usage statistics based on VPLMN information in the CDR, and Usage Aggregation and Usage Analytics can analyze roaming costs by VPLMN. By optimizing VPLMN, TCO can be significantly reduced.
Use Cases
Typical scenarios include: Cross-border logistics and fleets — devices roam across multiple countries, connect to each country's VPLMN, and the platform needs to maintain global VPLMN and tariff mappings; Cost optimization — there may be multiple VPLMNs available in the same country, and the Preferred Network is used to prioritize access to Roaming Partners with lower tariffs; Compliance control — in Data Residency sensitive regions, access is restricted to specific VPLMNs through Roaming Policy ; Usage analysis — analyze roaming distribution by VPLMN, identify high-cost networks, and optimize network selection strategies.
Practice in ICMP
SimtoLink ICMP maintains global PLMN and VPLMN mappings, associating MCC+MNC with operators, Rate Card , Roaming Policy . Customers can configure VPLMN priorities via PLMN Selection and Preferred Network to achieve intelligent network selection. The platform provides usage and cost analysis by VPLMN in Usage Analytics and Global Dashboard , supporting TCO optimization. Combined with the Roaming Partner ecosystem, VPLMN coverage is continuously expanded to improve cross-border connectivity quality and cost competitiveness.