Technological developments and roaming study

The European Commission (DG CNECT) plans a 5-month market research contract (EC-CNECT/2026/MVP/0166-EXA) with a maximum value of €139,999 to assess whether emerging technologies, services and business models could act as alternatives to regulated retail voice, SMS and data roaming in the EU/EEA and their impact on retail and wholesale roaming. The study will analyse eSIM/iSIM, 5G Stand Alone/5G Advanced/early 6G, satellite services, MVNOs, network evolution, Wi-Fi offloading and aggregation, and OTT messaging to inform the Commission's 2027 roaming market review and report to the European Parliament and the Council. This publication is an advance notice and not a call for tenders; interested operators must express interest electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using an EU Login account from 14 August 2026 to 4 September 2026, with an indicative launch of the negotiated procedure on 4 September 2026.

Tender snapshot

What it funds

A market research study to assess technologies, services and business models that could act as alternatives to regulated retail voice, SMS and data roaming in the EU/EEA and their impact on retail and wholesale roaming regulation (inputs to the 2027 roaming market review).

Maximum contract value:€139,999 (procurement maximum) ¹.

Duration:5 months (maximum contract duration).

Scope highlights

Study to cover mobile and other electronic communication networks (fixed, satellite) and analyse alternatives such as eSIM/iSIM, 5G SA/5G Advanced/early 6G, satellite services, MVNOs, network evolution, Wi-Fi offloading/aggregation, OTTs and messaging developments.

Who can apply

This is a public procurement (planned negotiated middle/low value procedure) led by European Commission DG CNECT. Eligible bidders are organisations (consultancies, market research firms, telecom specialists or consortia) able to perform market/technical analysis and deliver a policy-focused study. Submissions are electronic via EU Login.

Key dates

1. 1Expression of interest start: 14/08/2026 (Europe/Brussels)
2. 2Expression of interest deadline: 04/09/2026 00:59 (Europe/Brussels)
3. 3Indicative launch of negotiated procedure: 04/09/2026 (Europe/Brussels)

Submissions and questions require an EU Login account. Full tender record and planned notice are on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Opportunity page.

Footnotes

1. 1See the official tender record on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for procurement documents and exact tendering rules EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Administrative and procurement overview

Title:Technological developments and roaming study. Reference / Procedure identifier: EC-CNECT/2026/MVP/0166-EXA. Lead contracting authority: European Commission, DG CNECT - Communications Networks, Content and Technology. Main CPV: 79310000 - Market research services. Nature of contract: services. Procedure type: Planned negotiated procedure for middle/low value contract (publication announces intent to launch a future negotiated low or middle value procedure). Maximum value of procurement: €139,999. Maximum contract duration: 5 months. This publication is an ExA notice (announcement of intent) and is not itself a call for tenders; the contracting authority intends to launch a negotiated procedure at the indicated date.

Procurement objective:The purpose of the study is to assess the availability of technologies, services and business models which could potentially act as alternatives to regulated retail voice, SMS and data roaming services. The study will examine competitive pressure from existing and emerging alternatives, technological developments and traffic flows on roaming services, and will analyse impacts on roaming at retail and wholesale levels to feed the European Commission's 2027 review of the roaming market and inform the report to the European Parliament and Council under the Roaming Regulation.

Scope: technologies, services and themes to be analysed

The study shall cover mobile networks and other electronic communications networks (including fixed and satellite networks) and analyse the impact of Alternative Services on roaming in the EU/EEA and the way roaming is regulated. The tender notice lists specific developments to be considered and requires assessment of availability, market dynamics, traffic flows and likely evolution relevant to roaming.

1. 1eSIM and iSIM technologies and their market adoption/implications for device provisioning, identity, profile management and cross-border use.
2. 25G Stand Alone, 5G Advanced and early 6G developments including capabilities that could affect roaming patterns, network slicing, edge computing impacts and cross-border service continuity.
3. 3Satellite communication services: LEO/MEO/GEO based services, integration with terrestrial mobile networks, and impacts on voice/data roaming substitution and wholesale arrangements.
4. 4Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs): business model evolution, cross-border MVNO offerings, wholesale access models and competitive pressures on traditional roaming.
5. 5Network evolution: convergence of fixed and mobile networks, roaming alternatives from fixed providers, and network deployment patterns affecting cross-border traffic.
6. 6Wi-Fi offloading and Wi-Fi aggregation: how unmanaged or managed Wi-Fi influences roaming usage, traffic diversion and user experience.
7. 7Over-the-top services (OTTs) and messaging evolution: messaging/voice/data OTTs as substitutes for regulated services and implications for retail/wholesale roaming revenues and regulation.

Geographic and regulatory focus:The analysis must focus on EU and EEA markets and the way roaming is regulated under the Roaming Regulation. The study should specifically evaluate impacts within the EU/EEA context, including cross-border traffic flows and regulatory implications for both retail and wholesale roaming services.

Who can apply and how

This is a services procurement from the European Commission (DG CNECT). The notice does not give an exhaustive list of eligible applicant legal forms but, as a services tender published by the EU Commission, submissions are typically open to economic operators established in eligible countries defined by the procurement rules of the contracting authority. The ExA announcement requires interested parties to express interest electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal using an EU Login account. Submissions for the expression of interest must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given in the call when published.

1. 1Eligible applicant types: typical eligible applicants are market research consultancies, telecoms consultancy firms, consortia of specialist organisations, research institutions and other economic operators capable of delivering market analysis and technical assessment. Public bodies may participate if permitted by procurement rules. The notice does not restrict by size (SME/large) but indicates SME suitable indicator false, meaning the procurement is not specifically reserved for SMEs.
2. 2Consortium requirement: the notice does not mandate a consortium; therefore single legal entities may bid, and consortia / subcontracting arrangements are commonly accepted in EU service procurements. For clarity, the requirement should be treated as other: single bidder allowed or consortium allowed subject to the contracting rules and how the eventual negotiated procedure is structured.
3. 3Beneficiary geographic scope: EU / EEA (study analysis focus) and procurement eligibility will follow EU procurement rules for the Commission; applicants normally must be established in countries eligible under EU procurement rules (EU Member States, EEA and possibly other countries as listed in the procurement documents at launch).
4. 4Application type and submission method: expression of interest required; method electronic via the Funding & Tenders Portal using EU Login (eSubmission).
5. 5Application stages: there are at least two stages: 1) expression of interest / registration (deadline for ExA registration stated), and 2) launch of the negotiated procedure and full tender submission. The contracted procedure indicated is negotiated, so a subsequent negotiated tendering stage will follow the ExA period.

Financial, contractual and scoring implications

Funding type:procurement (service contract) paid by the contracting authority. Nature of support: monetary payment for services under a Commission contract. Co-funding requirement: none indicated; this is a service procurement where the Commission pays the contractor. Success rates: not provided; as a negotiated procedure the contracting authority will select the successful bidder following its internal evaluation. Exact selection rates cannot be determined from the ExA notice. Contract award will follow the negotiated procedure rules and evaluation criteria set out in the tender documents to be published with the call.

Evaluation and deliverables (expected content):The winning contractor will be expected to produce a structured, evidence-based market and technology study covering availability, technical capabilities, market penetration and likely evolution of Alternative Services, analyze traffic flows and competitive pressure on regulated roaming, and provide clear conclusions and policy-relevant recommendations to support the 2027 roaming market review and the Commission report to European Parliament and Council. Deliverables will likely include interim reports, a final report, and supporting datasets and annexes. The exact list of deliverables, milestones and evaluation criteria will be published in the tender dossier at the launch of the negotiated procedure.

Detailed categorisation answers

Below are the extracted structured answers to the categorisation questions, with as much detail as available from the ExA notice and procurement metadata.

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: Not explicitly limited by the ExA notice. In practice eligible applicants are economic operators able to provide market research and technical analysis services: market research consultancies, telecoms consultancies, engineering and technology research institutes, universities (acting as contractors), non-profit research organisations, large enterprises, SMEs, and consortia combining these profiles. Public authorities may participate if procurement rules allow. Individuals are unlikely to be suitable given the contract scale and nature.
2. 2Funding Type: Procurement / service contract (financial mechanism: Commission pays contractor for services).
3. 3Consortium Requirement: Other — the notice does not require a consortium; single legal entities may bid. The procurement is compatible with bids from single entities and from consortia; bidders should check the tender dossier for specific rules on subcontracting and consortium evidence.
4. 4Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): EU and EEA focus for the analysis; procurement eligibility follows Commission procurement rules — typically entities established in EU Member States and EEA countries (and other countries if allowed under international agreements) will be eligible. The study explicitly analyses impacts in the EU/EEA.
5. 5Target Sector: ICT, telecoms, mobile networks and electronic communications; also intersecting sectors such as satellite communications, internet/OTT services and fixed networks. Thematic focus: market research, regulation, telecom technology trends and roaming economics.
6. 6Mentioned Countries: No specific country list is provided in the text; the region explicitly mentioned is the EU/EEA. The contracting authority is the European Commission (based in Brussels, Belgium).
7. 7Project Stage: Analysis / market study; expected maturity: research and analysis (research, validation and policy recommendation stage rather than technology development or implementation).
8. 8Funding Amount: Maximum contract value €139,999 (fixed ceiling for the procurement).
9. 9Application Type: Expression of interest followed by negotiated procedure. Method: electronic submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal using EU Login (eSubmission).
10. 10Nature of Support: Monetary payment to contractor under a services contract; the contractor delivers study outputs and receives contract payments. No grant or co-funding model applies.
11. 11Application Stages: At least 2 stages: 1) expression of interest (ExA registration / submission) and 2) negotiated procurement stage leading to submission of full tender documents and selection. The negotiated procedure may include negotiation rounds and clarification steps; the exact number of stages will be specified in the tender documents.
12. 12Success Rates: Not provided in the ExA notice. Success rates cannot be determined from the information available; competitive selection will depend on the number and quality of proposals during the negotiated procedure.
13. 13Co-funding Requirement: No co-funding required; this is a contract for services where the Commission funds the work up to the maximum contract value.

Application and administrative practicalities

Registration and eSubmission:Interested applicants must have an EU Login account to subscribe to calls for tenders, submit questions and submit tenders electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal. The ExA notice indicates that the expression of interest must be submitted electronically and that submissions must be sent exclusively to the address for submission given in the call (address and eSubmission tool will be available when the negotiated procedure is launched).

Templates and application form structure:The ExA notice does not attach templates or the tender dossier. Typical templates and structure for such Commission service procurements include: 1) technical proposal (approach, methodology, work plan, staffing and CVs), 2) financial proposal (detailed price or lump-sum breakdown), 3) legal and administrative documentation (legal entity form, declarations, bank details), 4) past performance and references (relevant studies and client references), and 5) consortium agreements or subcontracting plans where applicable. Exact templates, self-declaration forms and the eSubmission structure will be published with the negotiated procedure documents. Applicants should prepare a clear technical methodology for market/technology assessment, a project schedule consistent with the 5-month duration, and a realistic budget within the €139,999 ceiling.

What the Commission expects in the study outputs

Expected outputs will include a robust evidence-based assessment of Alternative Services, technical descriptions, market penetration and forecasts, analysis of traffic and substitution effects, impacts on retail and wholesale roaming markets, identification of regulatory gaps or frictions, and policy recommendations to inform the 2027 roaming market review. The study should deliver written reports (interim and final), executive summaries suitable for policymakers, data annexes, and potentially presentations to the Commission.

Risks, recommended readiness and bidder capabilities

Recommended capabilities for bidders include demonstrated telecoms sector expertise (mobile and satellite), experience in market studies and regulatory impact analysis, capacity to analyse traffic and business models, and ability to deliver high-quality written outputs within short timelines (5-month contract). Bidders should demonstrate prior experience with EU-level studies, provide relevant references, and show multidisciplinary teams covering technical, economic and regulatory analysis.

• Strong preference for bidders with prior EU/EEA roaming or telecom market studies.
• Need for capacity to assess emerging technologies (eSIM/iSIM, 5G/6G, satellite integration).
• Ability to aggregate and analyse traffic data, including cross-border traffic flows.
• Project management capabilities to deliver within a 5-month period.

For the authoritative and full procurement dossier, interested parties must consult the Funding & Tenders Portal entry for the procedure identifier EC-CNECT/2026/MVP/0166-EXA and follow the instructions published at the time of the negotiated procedure launch Opportunity details and portal entry ¹.

Concluding summary

This opportunity is a short-term services procurement by the European Commission (DG CNECT) to commission a market and technology study assessing Alternative Services to regulated retail voice, SMS and data roaming across the EU/EEA. The contractor will analyse eSIM/iSIM, 5G/early 6G developments, satellite communications, MVNOs, network evolution, Wi-Fi offloading/aggregation and OTT messaging evolution, and determine how these influence roaming traffic, competition and regulatory implications. The procurement is planned as a negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract, with a maximum budget of €139,999 and a maximum duration of 5 months. Interested parties must register and submit an expression of interest electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal using EU Login by the stated deadline; full tender documents will be published when the negotiated procedure is launched. The final study will feed the Commission's 2027 review of the roaming market and the required report to the European Parliament and Council under the Roaming Regulation.

Footnotes

1. 1Original procurement notice and metadata available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: ec.europa.eu

This is a planned European Commission procurement for a 5 month market research study with a maximum contract value of €139,999. The study will assess whether emerging technologies, services and business models could act as alternatives to regulated retail voice, SMS and data roaming, and whether they could create competitive pressure on retail and wholesale roaming in the EU and EEA.

Opportunity Summary

The contracting authority is the European Commission, DG CNECT, and the procedure identifier is EC-CNECT/2026/MVP/0166-EXA. The publication is not yet a call for tenders, but an advance notice of a future negotiated low or middle value procedure. Interested operators are invited to express interest electronically through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal using an EU Login account.

What the Study Is About

The study is designed to support the Commission's analysis of the roaming market, including retail and wholesale roaming, and to inform the 2027 review and the report to the European Parliament and the Council under the Roaming Regulation. The Commission's broader roaming review has already found that no short to medium term technological development is expected to seriously replace the current roam like at home regime, while wholesale caps continue on a glide path to €1 per GB in 2027[3].

The new study focuses on whether alternative services and technologies may change that assessment, particularly where they affect roaming demand, roaming traffic flows, or the commercial role of roaming in consumer and business connectivity. Earlier Commission research on roaming identified eSIM, over the top messaging, Wi Fi offloading, and 5G related developments as important factors to monitor, which aligns closely with the scope of this tender[1][2].

• eSIM and iSIM technologies
• 5G Stand Alone, 5G Advanced and early 6G developments
• Satellite communication services
• Mobile virtual network operators
• Network evolution
• Wi Fi offloading and Wi Fi aggregation
• Over the top services and messaging evolution

Who Can Apply

The publication does not provide a final shortlist of eligible candidates at this stage. As a planned negotiated procedure for a low or middle value service contract, the opportunity is primarily relevant to economic operators with proven capability in telecoms market research, roaming regulation, competition analysis, electronic communications policy, or related consulting and technical research services.

The portal indicates that expressions of interest must be submitted electronically and that an EU Login account is required. Because this is only an advance notice, detailed selection and award criteria are expected to appear when the negotiated procedure is launched.

Applicant Information That Matters

• The contract is small in value and short in duration, so delivery capacity and immediate availability will matter.
• The topic is highly specialised and policy oriented, so demonstrated knowledge of EU roaming regulation and telecom market dynamics should be expected to carry weight.
• The scope suggests a strong evidence based methodology, likely including market mapping, competitive assessment, technology trend analysis, and policy implications.
• The study is linked to a Commission review with regulatory relevance, so applicants should be able to produce analysis suitable for use in an official Commission report.
• The time window is tight, with expression of interest closing on 4 September 2026 and the indicative launch of the negotiated procedure on the same date.

Strategic Relevance of the Assignment

This assignment is strategically important because roaming regulation is under active review at EU level and the market is evolving through new technologies, device architectures, network models, and alternative communications services. The Commission is looking for evidence on whether these developments could materially change the economics of roaming or the way roaming should be regulated in the EU and EEA[3].

For prospective bidders, the strongest fit will likely be organisations that can combine telecoms economics, regulatory analysis, technology foresight, and practical knowledge of roaming wholesale and retail market structures. Experience with EU policy reporting, stakeholder mapping, and analytical studies for public authorities would also be advantageous.