03,20,2026 18views
【Market analysis of smart city network】The beginning of 2026 is destined to be tumultuous for practitioners engaged in overseas monitoring and IoT connectivity services.
On one hand is the seemingly tempting 4G data value-added income, while on the other hand is the constantly tightening regulatory reins. The recent major events in Thailand and Indonesia, two important Southeast Asian markets, have once again sounded the alarm for all practitioners: safety and compliance are the top priority when going out to seek gold.
Thai raid: regulatory crackdown behind 100000 cameras
On January 16th of this year, a news story shook the industry: the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) of Thailand, in collaboration with multiple departments, seized 100000 sets of illegal surveillance cameras and 21000 smuggled SIM cards from overseas in a warehouse in Bangkok, with a total value of approximately 100 million Thai baht (click to view: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/gZ-FlkiIGytpMWHgu4Qf9w ）.
This incident reveals two core risks:
Non compliant equipment: A large number of cameras are using radio frequencies without NBTC certification, which may not only interfere with public communication but also pose serious security vulnerabilities.
Illegal connection: The overseas SIM card that comes with the device is illegal smuggling, roaming the network, and poses a risk of being abused for anonymous communication and regulatory evasion, directly violating Thailand's Radio Communication Law and Telecommunications Business Law.
This incident is by no means accidental, it is a strong signal for Southeast Asian countries to strengthen their regulation of radio equipment and telecommunications services.
Indonesia's new regulations: completely ban 'permanent roaming'
If Thailand's action is a precise surgical strike, then the recent clear regulations of the Indonesian Ministry of Communications and Information are building an insurmountable "firewall" from a legal perspective.
We have exclusively interpreted the key document released by the Indonesian Ministry of Communications and Information, and found that its core requirements directly refer to the most commonly used "overseas roaming SIM card" scheme for IoT devices, which is the so-called "permanent roaming" behavior.
Core Document 1: Ministerial Regulation No. 5 of 2021 on Telecommunications Operations
Original text of the regulation:
Article 12(1): "Connectivity provision for Internet of Things (IoT) services for various purposes shall be carried out after obtaining Telecommunications Service Operation Business Licensing for data communications system services or cooperating with Telecommunications Service Operator for data communications system services."
Article 12(3): "The connectivity provider must implement a unique addressing system including, but not limited to: a. local MSISDN; b. Device End User ID; or c. IP number."
Interpretation:
Must hold a certificate or cooperate: Article 12 (1) stipulates that any entity providing IoT connectivity services in Indonesia must either hold its own "Data Communication System Service" license or cooperate with a local operator holding the license. This means that individuals or unlicensed businesses providing connections through overseas cards are violating regulations from the beginning.
Local number must be used: Article 12 (3) explicitly states that IoT connections must use local MSISDN (i.e. Indonesian local mobile phone number) as the unique identifier. This fundamentally denies the legality of overseas roaming cards from a technical perspective, as overseas cards clearly cannot meet this requirement.
Core Document 2: Circular No. 2 of 2023 (Regulations on the Provision of IoT Connection Services)
This circular is a further strengthening and implementation of the aforementioned ministerial regulations, with stricter language.
Original text of the circular (in Hindi):
Section 5.a: "Organizers of telecommunications services of data communication systems that provide IoT services in providing their connectivity shall apply unique addressing using local MSISDN Numbers... Use of MSISDN Numbers from outside the territory of Indonesia shall be stopped and replaced with local MSISDN Numbers..."
Section 2: "Based on the results of surveillance and control, the connectivity services of IoT services provided by parties who do not obtain a license to attempt ... and use MSISDN Numbers from overseas operators so as to cause permanent roaming."
Section 5.c: "Parties that have currently provided connectivity for IoT services shall immediately apply for a license to attempt ... or cooperate with the telecommunications service provider of data communication system services with its connectivity using the addressing of the local MSISDN Number ..."
Interpretation:
Direct ban: Section 5. a states in black and white: 'The use of MSISDNs from outside Indonesia must be discontinued and replaced with local MSISDNs.'. ”This is a 'death sentence' for overseas roaming cards.
Definition of "permanent roaming": Section 2 clearly states that the use of overseas operator MSISDN leading to "permanent roaming" is a problem that regulatory agencies have discovered through supervision and control, and have made it a key target for crackdown.
Deadline for rectification: Section 5. c has issued an "ultimatum" to all existing service providers: they must immediately apply for licenses or cooperate with licensed providers, and switch to local MSISDN. This means that existing businesses that may have been able to "brush the edge" in the past must now be fully compliant, otherwise they will face accusations of illegal operations.
Summary: The Road to Compliance for Overseas 4G Cameras
By combining the Thai incident with the new regulations in Indonesia, we can clearly outline the compliance profile of future overseas 4G monitoring services:
Equipment must be certified for use: Cameras sold to various countries must pass mandatory certification from local governments (such as NBTC certification in Thailand) to ensure the legality of radio frequency usage and the safety and reliability of the equipment itself.
Connect according to local customs: completely abandon the "permanent roaming" mode of "one overseas SIM card travels the world". It is necessary to cooperate with local telecommunications operators who hold legal licenses and use local MSISDN numbers. This is the core of Indonesia's new regulations and will inevitably be the direction of future regulation in other countries.
Business must have a reputation: whether it is an equipment importer or a service provider, as long as it involves telecommunications connection services, they must pay attention to and comply with local license requirements, either by applying for them themselves or by partnering with the licensed party.
The regulations in Indonesia have provided a clear timeline - starting from January 1, 2026, operators will begin to strictly restrict overseas roaming cards. The surprise operation in Thailand demonstrated the strength of law enforcement.
The increase in traffic revenue is certainly a piece of "fat meat", but if this piece of meat needs to be "cooked" with high-risk illegal and irregular activities, it may become a "bomb" at any time. For all overseas enterprises, what needs to be done now is not to wait and see, but to take immediate action, compare with local regulations, and comprehensively review their products and business models. After all, only by walking steadily can we go far.
