New insights from Kaleido reveal that the transition to 5G SA roaming is accelerating demand for real-time analytics, as operators face growing pressure to improve visibility, control, and customer experience.
As standalone 5G roaming moves closer to commercial deployment in 2026, operators are prioritising real-time data ingestion, processing, and decision-making capabilities to handle higher traffic volumes and more complex service environments. This shift is being driven by persistent gaps in existing tools, including limited quality-based steering, fragmented visibility across multiple network technologies, and a lack of automation and predictive intelligence.
Many operators already have 5G NSA roaming in place and are now looking to launch 5G SA roaming commercially. In order to do so successfully, operators must understand the need for comprehensive real-time analytics and quality management solutions in facilitating satisfactory service delivery, as well as in improving network visibility.
Managing Roaming Quality & Critical Challenges
Kaleido’s latest operator survey on Roaming Analytics highlights the main pain points operators face in managing roaming quality, customer experience, and network steering. More than half of respondents pointed to poor quality-based steering or monitoring as their biggest challenge, confirming that steering is still too often driven by static or cost-led logic rather than live performance. Multi-technology complexity across 2G to 5G was cited by 50%, underlining how difficult it is to maintain a consistent roaming experience across diverse network generations.
Key Challenges in Managing Roaming Quality, Customer Experience, and Network Steering Among Survey Participants
Source: Kaleido Intelligence Roaming Analytics MNO Survey, H2 2025
Analytics Market Survey Snapshot:
- 85% of operators consider real-time data to be very or extremely important in managing their roaming business.
- Only 16% reported having a holistic, real-time analytics platform with unified reporting across signalling, IPX, and clearing.
- Almost 75% of survey respondents feel their analytics tools are missing predictive capabilities and advanced AI features
Kaleido’s Analytics & Quality Management in Roaming MNO Outlook 2026 & Beyond covers the need (both perceived and practical) for analytics tools as roaming evolves, market adoption of analytics tools, and operator needs and requirements concerning specific capabilities.
Monitoring performance metrics in real time allows operators to anticipate and prevent service issues rather than reacting after the fact. It also enables a more balanced approach to roaming, where quality of service and cost efficiency can be optimised simultaneously. Our survey reflects this shift: 85% of operators consider real-time data to be very or extremely important in managing their roaming business. What was once an afterthought is now central to how operators measure partner performance, manage customer experience, and protect revenues.
Respondents’ Current Roaming Analytics & Quality Management Approach
Source: Kaleido Intelligence Roaming Analytics MNO Survey, H2 2025
Also included in the report are analyses of analytics use cases, anticipated benefits, and analyses of real-time intelligence and AI features (and the demand for them). The role of analytics in steering of roaming is also discussed through the lens of real-time, quality-based steering.
Kaleido Analytics & Quality Management in Roaming, Other Key Findings:
- Real-time data ingestion, processing, and insights are the most sought-after analytics capabilities in the current roaming market.
- 80% of survey respondents believe that real-time analytics and quality management will tangibly improve customer experience.
- Over a third of respondents are planning to implement real-time, quality-based steering of roaming in 2026.
Access Kaleido’s Analytics & Quality Management in Roaming: 2026 Outlook for an overview of the analytics market landscape, and for a detailed look at the rising need for roaming analytics tools, at investment plans and priorities, and at our analytics strategy overview for MNOs.
Download our latest Quality of Service in Roaming: The Role of AI in Steering and Optimisation white paper.
Blog Author: Max Holden (Market Research Analyst)