A device management network that supports roaming selectively conducts device management activities on a mobile device when it is roaming. The mobile device is capable of determining that it is roaming and communicating the information to the DM server in order to allow the DM server to execute an operator specified policy (or policies) to determine if device management activities need to be conducted when the device is roaming. Later, when the mobile device is no longer roaming, but back in the home network, then the mobile device communicates another message to the DM server to inform it (or other servers that need to know) that the mobile device is no longer roaming. In another embodiment, the DM server is capable of detecting that the mobile device is roaming and acts according to policies.