Global cellular M2M technology forecasts and assumptions
Please sign in or register for a free public account to access this report.
GSMA Intelligence is today publishing a new report analysing network technology trends relating to the cellular M2M market.
The research shows that 77% of cellular M2M connections worldwide were running on 2G networks as of 2014. By 2020, we forecast that mobile broadband networks (3G and 4G) will account for 56% of cellular M2M connections, while the remainder (44%) will continue to run on 2G.
M2M is an integral component of the Internet of Things (IoT), and market opportunities in both are shaped by the development of several communication technologies. In this report, we analyse the different cellular technology migration scenarios and forecast assumptions that each global region is expected to go through over the coming years, and their implications for industry players.
According to industry estimates, cellular M2M represents less than 10% of the total M2M market base to date, which in turn will represent around half of the Internet of Things potential base in 2020 - estimated at over 25 billion devices globally.
Related research
The next five years of IoT: revenue opportunities and recommendations for growth
The global IoT market will reach $2 trillion in revenues by 2030, but what are the drivers shaping revenue growth and the recommendations for IoT companies looking to capitalise on the opportunity ahead?
IoT revenue forecast to 2030: charting growth by region, vertical and product
With the global IoT market set to reach $2 trillion in revenues by 2030, understanding the projections by region and forecasts for particular use cases is crucial.
Made for IoT Summit 2025: key takeaways from the show
Earlier this month, Onomondo hosted the Made for IoT Summit 2025, bringing together a mix of IoT developers, device OEMs, module makers and adopters from across the IoT ecosystem, under the motto 'IoT connectivity should never be a bottleneck'. Key themes discussed included the latest GSMA eSIM SGP.32 and SGP.31 specifications, how the ecosystem is getting ready for commercial launches and the impact to connectivity service providers and device makers. Non-terrestrial networks IoT was a topic of focus as well, with the event’s participants taking note of progress being made and expressing high expectations for further advancements in the low Earth orbit space that will help drive greater adoption and lower costs. Finally, a new flagship private wireless project was unveiled in detail: Onomondo’s implementation with Maersk, Nokia and a suite of other partners that will bring private wireless to 450 ships at sea.
Authors
How to access this report
Annual subscription: Subscribe to our research modules for comprehensive access to more than 200 reports per year.
Enquire about subscriptionContact our research team
Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.
Contact our research teamMedia
To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.
Learn moreRelated research
The next five years of IoT: revenue opportunities and recommendations for growth
The global IoT market will reach $2 trillion in revenues by 2030, but what are the drivers shaping revenue growth and the recommendations for IoT companies looking to capitalise on the opportunity ahead?
IoT revenue forecast to 2030: charting growth by region, vertical and product
With the global IoT market set to reach $2 trillion in revenues by 2030, understanding the projections by region and forecasts for particular use cases is crucial.
Made for IoT Summit 2025: key takeaways from the show
Earlier this month, Onomondo hosted the Made for IoT Summit 2025, bringing together a mix of IoT developers, device OEMs, module makers and adopters from across the IoT ecosystem, under the motto 'IoT connectivity should never be a bottleneck'. Key themes discussed included the latest GSMA eSIM SGP.32 and SGP.31 specifications, how the ecosystem is getting ready for commercial launches and the impact to connectivity service providers and device makers. Non-terrestrial networks IoT was a topic of focus as well, with the event’s participants taking note of progress being made and expressing high expectations for further advancements in the low Earth orbit space that will help drive greater adoption and lower costs. Finally, a new flagship private wireless project was unveiled in detail: Onomondo’s implementation with Maersk, Nokia and a suite of other partners that will bring private wireless to 450 ships at sea.
- 200 reports a year
- 50 million data points
- Over 350 metrics