NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS and Airlinq form partnership for Global IoT
NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS and Airlinq, a global provider of AIoT solutions and Autonomous Connectivity Management Platform (CMP), have entered into a partnership to expand the delivery of global IoT-connected solutions across markets with diverse and country-specific telecommunications regulatory requirements.
1. Background
Global deployment of IoT-enabled devices and services continues to accelerate, particularly across mobility industries such as automotive and construction machinery. As connected services—including connected vehicles—expand across borders, enterprises increasingly require reliable connectivity and consistent operational models worldwide.
At the same time, telecommunications regulations and licensing frameworks differ by country and region. In some markets, long-term roaming usage such as permanent roaming or other types of permanent service delivery by foreign operators without local licenses may be constrained, creating challenges for global IoT rollouts.
Addressing these challenges often requires technical and legal coordination with multiple stakeholders—including local carriers and relevant authorities—adding operational complexity for enterprises expanding internationally.
Against this backdrop, NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS, with proven experience delivering global IoT services in the mobility sector, and Airlinq, with deep expertise and an ecosystem of platform with local carriers across diverse regulatory environments, have formed the partnership to enable stable, compliant and scalable IoT services globally.
2. Overview of the partnership
By combining their platforms and expertise, the two companies will unify fragmented connectivity environments and operational models across countries and carriers, while reducing the operational complexity of global IoT services.
This will enable customers to establish a unified operational model for smooth and sustainable service delivery worldwide, without having to individually address country- or carrier-specific regulatory and connectivity requirements.
NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS and Airlinq will jointly deliver:
- unified SIM and connectivity management across countries and carriers
- flexible profile switching using eSIM/eUICC
- regulatory alignment and local compliance support through collaboration with local carriers
These capabilities will reduce the burden of managing complex, multi-country IoT connectivity operations.
Key areas of collaboration
- Unified SIM and Connectivity Management via CMP
By using Airlinq’s CMP and, where required, integrating with local carrier CMPs, the partnership will enable unified visibility and management of SIM assets and connectivity status across multiple countries and mobile networks. - Flexible Connectivity Using eSIM/eUICC
Using remote SIM provisioning, customers can switch to local-carrier SIM profiles without physical SIM replacement, supporting efficient operations and deployments aligned with local requirements across diverse markets. - Regulatory Alignment and Local Compliance Support
The partnership will support contracting and operational coordination with local carriers where required, helping customers deliver connectivity services in alignment with local legal and regulatory requirements. - End-to-End Support from Planning Through Operations
NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS will provide end-to-end support—from planning and implementation through ongoing operations—so customers can deploy and run global IoT services without managing multiple providers or country-by-country adjustments.
3. Roles and responsibilities
NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS
- Provision of the overall solution for enterprises deploying IoT devices and services
- Leading project governance and execution
- Managing the collaborative operating framework for the partnership
Airlinq
- Provision of the CMP and eSIM/eUICC solutions
- Coordination with local carriers
- Support for regulatory alignment and compliance, including contracting and operational execution
4. Executive comments
Kazuo Komine, Senior Vice President, Head of 5G & IoT Services, Platform Service Division, NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS, Inc.
“In areas such as automotive, securing stable, global connectivity has become essential for IoT-driven services and business. However, many markets require special consideration due to regulatory and operational constraints, making implementation and ongoing operations a significant challenge for customers. Through our partnership with Airlinq, we will deliver effective solutions to these challenges—enabling compliant, stable and flexible mobile IoT connectivity across diverse regulatory environments to support our customers’ global expansion and the sustainable growth of IoT industries.”
Sunil Kaul, CEO of Airlinq Inc.
“Global IoT scale is no longer limited by technology, but by regulation. Together with NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS, we are removing those barriers and enabling enterprises to deploy compliant, future-proof IoT services anywhere in the world.”
5. Future outlook
Through the partnership, NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS and Airlinq will provide connected solutions aligned with local regulatory and connectivity requirements across global markets, covering the full lifecycle from pre-deployment planning to post-deployment operations.
The two companies will support enterprises pursuing global IoT initiatives across mobility sectors such as automotive, construction machinery and agricultural equipment, serving as partners to accelerate digital transformation and global business expansion.
Comment on this article below or via X: @IoTGN and visit our website IoT Global Network