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Forecast: 5G surpasses 2.6bn global connections

September 25, 2025

According to data from 5G Americas and Omdia, global 5G connections climbed past 2.6 billion in Q2 2025 — a 37 per cent year-over-year surge – and are projected to reach nearly 9 billion by 2030, representing 60 percent of all wireless connections worldwide.

In parallel, global cellular data consumption grew by 15 per cent year-over-year, reaching 384 million terabytes (TB) in Q2, signaling accelerating demand for next-generation connectivity that powers everything from streaming and gaming to smart factories and autonomous vehicles.

“These latest numbers show 5G’s extraordinary momentum worldwide, but particularly in North America where both adoption and data usage are setting the pace,” said Viet Nguyen, President of 5G Americas.

North America continues to outpace the globe in 5G adoption and data consumption. As of Q2 2025, the region reached:

  • 339 million 5G connections — covering 88% of the population and on track to surpass 100% coverage before the end of 2025.

  • 43 million TB of cellular traffic during the quarter, averaging 111 GB per user per month — nearly double the next highest region (Oceania, Eastern & South Eastern Asia at 67 GB per user).

“With penetration climbing and infrastructure expanding, 5Gis entering a new phase as the backbone for IoT and digital transformation,” said Kristin Paulin, Principal Analyst at Omdia.

Beyond subscriber growth, 5G is fueling the Internet of Things (IoT). Global IoT connections hit 3.8 billion in Q2 2025 and are expected to reach 5 billion by 2030. Increasingly, 5G is the backbone for mission-critical applications in:

  • Smart factories optimizing production

  • Autonomous logistics improving supply chain efficiency

  • Energy distribution enabling smarter grids

  • Healthcare powering telemedicine and remote monitoring

The number of 5G and 4G LTE network deployments as of September 15th:

5G:

  • Global: 373

  • North America: 18

4G LTE:

  • Global: 708

  • North America: 18

Categories: 5G, Articles, Markets, Mobile, Research

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