IoT: the next wave of connectivity and services

This report is available to those subscribed to the IoT & Enterprise module.
GSMA Intelligence is today publishing its forecast dataset outlining IoT connections growth for the period 2010–2025.
GSMA Intelligence forecasts that the total number of IoT connections (cellular and non-cellular) globally will reach 25.2 billion in 2025, up from 6.3 billion in 2017. The size of the market will almost quadruple over the forecast period.
While IoT is rapidly becoming a mainstream technology in consumer markets such as consumer electronics and smart home, the industrial IoT segment will be the largest source of connections growth going forward.
The report “IoT: the next wave of connectivity and services” outlines our definitions, key assumptions and forecast methodology.
Related research
Edge AI: how IoT hardware and connectivity companies can drive ecosystem adoption and scale
Edge AI has gained major momentum during 2024–2025 as Qualcomm, Nordic Semiconductor, Synaptics and many others have launched significant innovations in edge silicon and hardware. This report focuses on the industrial IoT part of the market.
Operators’ enterprise strategies and plans: survey insights reveal shifting trends in 2025 and beyond
This report summarises the key findings from the latest GSMA Intelligence Operators in Focus: Enterprise Opportunity Survey, conducted in December 2024, which surveyed 100 global operators on their enterprise strategies and plans, as well as emerging opportunities. Key topics include operators’ strategic priorities, partnerships, acquisitions and investment in enterprise services such as cloud, security and connectivity, along with 5G offerings such as private 5G, IoT, edge computing and network slicing.
Operators in Focus: Enterprise Opportunity Survey Dashboard 2025
This dashboard presents the latest findings of the GSMA Intelligence Operators in Focus: Enterprise Opportunity Survey. The survey asked 100 operators globally about their enterprise strategies, including how they are carrying out their plans and how they assess emerging opportunities.
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
Edge AI: how IoT hardware and connectivity companies can drive ecosystem adoption and scale
Edge AI has gained major momentum during 2024–2025 as Qualcomm, Nordic Semiconductor, Synaptics and many others have launched significant innovations in edge silicon and hardware. This report focuses on the industrial IoT part of the market.
Operators’ enterprise strategies and plans: survey insights reveal shifting trends in 2025 and beyond
This report summarises the key findings from the latest GSMA Intelligence Operators in Focus: Enterprise Opportunity Survey, conducted in December 2024, which surveyed 100 global operators on their enterprise strategies and plans, as well as emerging opportunities. Key topics include operators’ strategic priorities, partnerships, acquisitions and investment in enterprise services such as cloud, security and connectivity, along with 5G offerings such as private 5G, IoT, edge computing and network slicing.
Operators in Focus: Enterprise Opportunity Survey Dashboard 2025
This dashboard presents the latest findings of the GSMA Intelligence Operators in Focus: Enterprise Opportunity Survey. The survey asked 100 operators globally about their enterprise strategies, including how they are carrying out their plans and how they assess emerging opportunities.
- 200 reports a year
- 50 million data points
- Over 350 metrics