Mobile carriers have far more subscribers than public IPv4 addresses, so they put many phones behind each address using carrier-grade NAT. At any moment, one mobile IP may carry traffic from hundreds or thousands of real people. A mobile proxy routes your requests out through a SIM card or phone on such a network, so you share that crowd's address.
Why buyers want them
Blocking a mobile IP risks blocking every legitimate customer behind it, so sites tend to treat mobile addresses gently. That makes mobile proxies attractive for social platforms and mobile app APIs, where other proxy types are challenged sooner. An ASN lookup on a mobile exit names a mobile carrier.
The trade-offs
- Price. Mobile proxies are usually the most expensive type, per GB or per port.
- Speed and stability. Cellular links are slower and less predictable than wired ones.
- Changing addresses. The carrier reassigns IPs on its own schedule, so the exit can change even when you did not ask for it.
ProxyHive does not sell mobile proxies
We sell residential, ISP and datacenter proxies only. Rotating residential covers many of the same scraping jobs, and a static ISP proxy gives a carrier-registered address that stays put for account work. If your target specifically requires a mobile carrier's address, buy from a provider that sells mobile. Residential vs ISP vs datacenter proxies will help you decide whether you need one.
Common confusion
"Mobile" describes the network, not the device you use. A mobile proxy works from a desktop script, and browsing from a phone over Wi-Fi does not give you a mobile IP.