- Vodafone IoT supports more than 230 million connections globally, using a mix of 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, NB-IoT and LTE-M
- A global SIM allows devices like connected cars to operate across borders
- In stricter markets, Vodafone can localize both SIM profiles and IoT platform instances, keeping data inside national borders via its 760 partner networks in 180 countries
Vodafone IoT is leaning on its global SIM strategy as enterprises grapple with the growing complexity of data sovereignty laws tied to cross-border IoT deployments.
The operator’s dedicated IoT network now supports roughly 230 million connections worldwide, spanning everything from connected cars and energy meters to medical devices and payment terminals, according to Erik Brenneis, CEO of Vodafone IoT.
But at that scale, simply connecting devices is no longer the hard part. Making sure data stays where regulators say it must is.
Vodafone’s answer is a global SIM paired with a dedicated IoT platform, designed to abstract away national borders for customers while still complying with local rules. Devices can roam seamlessly across Vodafone’s own footprint and 760 partner operator networks in 180 countries, with Vodafone managing how and where data is handled behind the scenes.
“All these IoT connections are connected to a dedicated IoT platform, which integrates into customers’ IT systems,” Brenneis told Fierce Network during Mobile World Congress 2026. The idea, he said, is that enterprises don’t have to build bespoke compliance strategies for every market they operate in.
That approach is especially critical for mobile assets like vehicles, which routinely cross borders. In markets such as the European Union and the U.K., Vodafone’s global SIM allows cars to move freely without triggering data residency concerns. In more protectionist countries — including Brazil, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Turkey — Vodafone can shift from a global SIM to a local SIM profile, and in some cases run the IoT platform locally so data never leaves the country.
This is where Vodafone’s partner network becomes strategically essential. “These are countries where we need to transform our global SIM into a local SIM with a local operator,” Brenneis said, noting that regulatory compliance can extend beyond connectivity to where the underlying IoT systems themselves are hosted.
Vodafone positions the model as a managed service rather than a connectivity product. Customers sign a single contract, while Vodafone takes responsibility for technical integration, roaming, and regulatory compliance market by market.
“When a customer contracts with us, we always tell them you don’t need to worry about data sovereignty — that’s what we’re here for,” Brenneis said.
Read all of our coverage from Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona here.