Roaming SIM cards, global cellular modems and IoT hardware for travellers, businesses and machine-to-machine deployments worldwide. The name that pioneered mobile broadband in the UK - now a curated connectivity resource for the 5G era.
From the desktop router that brought 3G broadband to rural UK in 2007 to a full-spectrum global connectivity resource - SIM cards, modems, eSIM and IoT hardware for every use case.
Whether you need a data SIM that works in 80 countries, a Quectel LTE module for an embedded design, or an eSIM solution for IoT at scale - GlobeSurfer is the reference point.
Multi-network and international roaming SIM cards for smartphones, routers, MiFi devices and M2M equipment. Coverage in 200+ countries.
Explore SIM OptionsUSB dongles, M.2 modules, Mini PCIe cards and desktop routers for global cellular connectivity. Quectel, Sierra Wireless, u-blox and more.
View ModemsIndustrial SIM cards, NB-IoT, LTE-M and HSPA connectivity for machine-to-machine deployments at any scale - from single devices to global fleets.
IoT SolutionsConsumer eSIM (SGP.22) and IoT eSIM (SGP.32) - remote SIM provisioning for devices that can't use a physical SIM card. eUICC and GSMA standards covered.
eSIM Guide5G FWA routers and CPE for home and business broadband without a phone line. The GlobeSurfer concept at gigabit speeds. Hardware, SIMs and UK operator comparisons.
5G FWA GuideGlobeSurfer III, III+, X.1, XYFI and Dataroute. Original manuals, datasheets and the full history of the router that pioneered home mobile broadband in the UK.
View ArchiveQuectel produces the cellular modules that power billions of connected devices worldwide - from the EC25 LTE Cat 4 module used in routers and industrial gateways to the RG500Q 5G module for the next generation of FWA equipment.
Their range covers every connectivity standard in active global deployment: LTE Cat 1 through Cat 20, NB-IoT, LTE-M, HSPA, and 5G NR in both Sub-6GHz and mmWave variants. Form factors from USB dongles to M.2 and Mini PCIe for embedded designs.
Standard carrier SIM cards are locked to a single network and fail the moment you cross a border or move to a coverage gap. Roaming SIM cards and multi-network SIMs solve both problems - international data without bill shock, and automatic network steering to the strongest available signal.
For UK users: multi-network SIMs that roam across EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three provide significantly better rural coverage than any single-operator SIM. For international travel and M2M deployments: global roaming SIMs with data in 200+ countries on a single SIM.
eSIM removes the physical SIM card from the equation entirely. The SIM function is embedded as a chip on the device PCB and operator profiles are downloaded over-the-air. For IoT deployments, this means no physical SIM swaps - operator changes happen remotely, at scale, without touching the hardware.
The GSMA SGP.32 standard defines how IoT eSIMs work at scale - a lower-cost, lower-power architecture designed for the billions of connected devices that LPWA networks are enabling. Detailed technical coverage at sgp32.co.uk and euicc.co.uk.
In 2007, Option NV shipped the GlobeSurfer III - a desktop router that used a mobile SIM card instead of a phone line. For rural UK homes with no broadband option, it was transformational. The full archive of Option NV products, manuals and datasheets is preserved here - and the story of how we got from 7.2Mbps HSDPA to 2Gbps 5G FWA.
Specialist resources covering every aspect of UK and global cellular connectivity - from 5G FWA home broadband to IoT eSIM standards.
UK authority on 5G Fixed Wireless Access. Hardware, SIM cards, operator comparisons and coverage.
International and UK roaming SIM cards for routers, devices and M2M equipment.
SIM cards that switch between UK operators for the best available signal.
IoT and M2M SIM cards for industrial and commercial cellular deployments.
Complete guide to Quectel cellular modules - LTE, 5G, NB-IoT and LTE-M form factors.
Technical reference for eUICC and eSIM - the embedded SIM standard.
GSMA SGP.32 IoT eSIM standard explained for developers and engineers.
USB mobile broadband modems and dongles for laptop and desktop connectivity.