# What is a mobile proxy?

> A mobile proxy is a proxy server that sends your requests through the 4G or 5G connection of a mobile carrier such as Jio, Telkomsel or NTT Docomo, so websites see an IP address the carrier assigns to phones. Because carriers share each IPv4 address among many subscribers, platforms rarely block it. Jade Proxies rents dedicated Asian ports from $3/day.

Source: https://jadeproxies.com/what-is-a-mobile-proxy/ · Jade Proxies · Updated 30 October 2026

**Key figure: 34%** — Our price grid shows that a 30-day South and Southeast Asia port ($1.98/day) costs 34% less per day than a 1-day port ($3.00/day). Rental length, not traffic, sets the price of a dedicated mobile proxy. (Jade Proxies price grid, 29 October 2026)


## How does a mobile proxy work?

A mobile proxy works in three hops: your software connects to the provider's gateway, the gateway passes the request to a 4G/5G modem holding a local SIM card, and the modem sends it over the carrier's mobile data network to the website. The answer travels back the same way.

| Hop | Who | What the website sees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Your script, browser or app → gateway | Nothing |
| 2 | Gateway → 4G/5G modem with a Viettel SIM in Vietnam | Nothing |
| 3 | Modem → Viettel network → website | A Vietnamese mobile IP on Viettel's network |

The website sees the carrier's address and the carrier's network name (its ASN), the same as for a phone browsing on that network. The modem is a data line, not a phone you control. A Jade Proxies port gives proxy (data) access only: no SMS, no calls, no direct access to the SIM card or the device.

## How does a dedicated mobile port work?

A dedicated mobile port is one modem and one SIM card reserved for a single customer for the whole rental, reached through one gateway address and port number. No other customer sends traffic through that modem, and you decide when its IP changes.

On a Jade Proxies port you get a new IP on demand by rotation link or API call, at most once every 30 seconds, or on an automatic timer from every 2 minutes to every 24 hours. A rotation is a reconnection, not a jump inside a pool: each rotation reconnects the port to the carrier and usually takes 5–15 seconds. Requests sent during those seconds fail, so production code retries them.

```bash
# Ask the carrier for a new IP on your port (replace {port} and API_KEY)
curl "https://jadeproxies.com/api/v1/mobile/{port}/rotate?key=API_KEY"
```

Between rotations the IP normally stays the same, which suits long sessions such as a logged-in dashboard or a checkout test. "Dedicated" describes the modem, not the public address: on a carrier that shares addresses, ordinary phone users can exit through the same IP at the same moment. The [Asian mobile proxies](https://jadeproxies.com/asian-mobile-proxies/) page lists the port options country by country.

## What is the difference between a dedicated port and rotating mobile data?

A dedicated port is billed per day for one modem you control; rotating mobile data is billed per GB and takes each new connection from a shared pool of carrier IPs. Use the port for long sessions and heavy daily traffic, and the pool for requests spread across many addresses.

| Feature | Dedicated 4G/5G port | Rotating mobile (per GB) |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | From $3/day, billed per day, not per GB, under fair use (the carrier may slow or pause very heavy use) | $0.90/GB at any volume; traffic never expires |
| Who exits through the modem | You alone | Many customers, one connection at a time |
| IP changes | On demand or on a timer | On each new connection |
| Targeting | Country, carrier subject to stock | Country level |
| Typical work | Account management, app testing, long sessions | Ad checks and requests spread over many IPs |

Our price grid shows that rental length, not traffic, sets the cost of a port. The 30-day South and Southeast Asia plan costs $59.25, which is $1.98/day ($59.25 ÷ 30 days), or 34% less per day than the 1-day port at $3.00/day. To choose between a port and per-GB data, compare one day's traffic with the day price: when that traffic would cost more than $3 at $0.90/GB, the port is cheaper.

| Zone | 1 day | 7 days | 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| South & Southeast Asia | $3 ($3.00/day) | $22.50 ($3.21/day) | $59.25 ($1.98/day) |
| East Asia & Singapore | $4.50 ($4.50/day) | $29 ($4.14/day) | $89.25 ($2.98/day) |

The full grid, residential plans included, is on the [pricing page](https://jadeproxies.com/pricing/).

## Which Asian carriers do mobile proxies use?

Mobile proxies in Asia exit through each country's national networks: NTT Docomo, au (KDDI), SoftBank and Rakuten Mobile in Japan; Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL in India; Telkomsel, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison and XLSMART in Indonesia; AIS, True and NT in Thailand. The table lists the carriers of all 13 countries Jade Proxies covers, with the starting price of a port.

| Country | Main cities | Mobile carriers | 4G/5G port from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, Nagoya, Sapporo | NTT Docomo, au (KDDI), SoftBank, Rakuten Mobile | $4.50/day |
| South Korea | Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu | SK Telecom, KT, LG U+ | $4.50/day |
| Taiwan | Taipei, New Taipei, Taichung, Kaohsiung | Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, FarEasTone | $4.50/day |
| Hong Kong | Kowloon, Hong Kong Island, Sha Tin | China Mobile Hong Kong, csl (HKT), 3 Hong Kong, SmarTone | $4.50/day |
| Singapore | Singapore | Singtel, StarHub, M1 | $4.50/day |
| India | Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata | Jio, Airtel, Vi (Vodafone Idea), BSNL | $3/day |
| Indonesia | Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Medan | Telkomsel, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, XLSMART | $3/day |
| Vietnam | Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Haiphong | Viettel, VinaPhone, MobiFone | $3/day |
| Thailand | Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Nonthaburi, Hat Yai | AIS, True (TrueMove H, dtac), NT | $3/day |
| Philippines | Manila, Quezon City, Cebu City, Davao City | Globe, Smart (PLDT), DITO | $3/day |
| Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, George Town, Kuching | CelcomDigi, Maxis, U Mobile | $3/day |
| Bangladesh | Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna | Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink | $3/day |
| Pakistan | Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad | Jazz, Ufone, Zong | $3/day |

Dedicated ports in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore start at $4.50/day; ports in India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Pakistan start at $3/day.

## Why do platforms trust mobile IPs?

Platforms trust mobile IPs because one carrier IPv4 address carries many real subscribers at once through carrier-grade NAT, so banning it locks out paying users. A platform therefore rate-limits, challenges or scores behaviour on a mobile IP instead of blocking the address. The [CGNAT guide](https://jadeproxies.com/what-is-cgnat/) explains how the sharing works and what it means for rotation.

Two further signals add to that trust:

- **Network type.** IP databases label carrier ranges as mobile, and mobile-first apps expect most of their users to arrive from them.
- **Constant reassignment.** Carriers hand out addresses again as phones move between cells and reconnect, so yesterday's activity on an IP says little about today's user.

Trust covers the address, not the behaviour. Logins, request rates and account history still decide what a platform allows, and the Jade Proxies [acceptable use policy](https://jadeproxies.com/acceptable-use/) forbids spam, fake engagement and account farming on every port.

## What are mobile proxies used for?

Mobile proxies are used where a target treats phone users differently or rates carrier traffic above home broadband:

- **Social media management** of your own or your clients' accounts within platform rules, with one stable IP per brand.
- **Mobile ad verification**, to see which ads a phone user in Manila or Jakarta is shown.
- **App and website testing** on a real carrier network, including carrier-specific landing pages and checkout flows.
- **Mobile search checks**, because results for a phone user in Seoul or Mumbai differ from desktop results.

## What are the limits of a mobile proxy?

A mobile proxy has four limits to plan around:

1. **Data only.** A port gives proxy (data) access only: no SMS, no calls, no direct access to the SIM card or the device.
2. **Fair use, not unlimited.** Port traffic is billed per day, not per GB, under fair use (the carrier may slow or pause very heavy use).
3. **Stock.** At Jade Proxies, dedicated ports are subject to stock per country and carrier; a port not delivered within 24 hours is credited back in full.
4. **Variable speed.** The modem shares a cell tower with local phones, so throughput follows signal strength and local load. Run requests in parallel and keep retries in your code.

## Is a mobile proxy the same as a residential proxy?

No. A [residential proxy](https://jadeproxies.com/what-is-a-residential-proxy/) exits through a home broadband line from an ISP such as JioFiber or NTT FLET'S Hikari, while a mobile proxy exits through a cellular carrier. Residential traffic starts lower per GB ($0.50/GB against $0.90/GB), and carrier IPs carry more weight on mobile-first apps. The [residential vs mobile comparison](https://jadeproxies.com/residential-vs-mobile-proxies-for-asia/) matches each task to the right type.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is a mobile proxy 4G or 5G?

A mobile proxy runs on whichever network the carrier provides where the modem sits, 4G or 5G. Treat 5G as a bonus of local coverage, not a guaranteed feature of a port. Both generations give the same kind of carrier IP, which is what platforms look at.

### How often can I change the IP of a mobile proxy?

On a Jade Proxies dedicated port you get a new IP on demand by rotation link or API call, at most once every 30 seconds, or on an automatic timer from every 2 minutes to every 24 hours. Each change reconnects the modem, so plan for a short pause while the carrier assigns the new address.

### Can a mobile proxy receive SMS or calls?

No. A Jade Proxies port gives proxy (data) access only: no SMS, no calls, no direct access to the SIM card or the device. It carries web and app traffic, not verification codes or voice.

### Do I share a dedicated port with other customers?

No. The modem and SIM behind a dedicated port serve only you for the rental period. The public IP comes from the carrier, so the carrier's own subscribers can share that address through carrier-grade NAT.

### Is using a mobile proxy legal?

Yes. Renting a mobile proxy is legal when the connection is sourced with consent and used for lawful work such as ad verification, app testing or managing your own accounts. At Jade Proxies, residential and mobile IPs are resold from established upstream partner networks; the upstream provider confirms that device owners opt in and can opt out.