Updated in March 2026, this report presents the latest forecasts and views on the evolution of the IoT market, the key changes between the new and previous forecasts, and forecasts up to 2035. The global IoT market will reach 40.8 billion connections by 2030 and 52.9 billion by 2035. Enterprise applications are the primary growth driver, expanding from 65% of total connections in 2030 to 69% by 2035, led by smart buildings, manufacturing, and utilities.

The global IoT market will reach 40.8 billion connections by 2030, growing at 8% CAGR during 2023-2030, and is forecast to expand further to 52.9 billion connections by 2035 at a moderated CAGR of 5% during 2030–2035. Enterprise IoT will drive the market, with the share of enterprise IoT connections expanding from 65% in 2030 to 69% by 2035, led by smart buildings (15% CAGR to 2030), smart manufacturing (12%) and smart utilities (10%). The forecast includes annual connections data through to 2035, with regional and vertical breakdowns.

GSMA Intelligence's Chart of the Month is a visual way of telling an important story in the mobile and broader tech ecosystem. From the shape and size of markets to trends in consumer behaviour, we aim to provide food for thought through informative visuals designed to bring colour and clarity to complex issues facing the industry. This edition examines the preferred retailers and sales channels for consumer smartphone purchases.

Amazon has agreed to acquire Globalstar in a deal valued at approximately $11.6 billion. It has indicated that it expects the deal to close in 2027, subject to regulatory clearance. This would pave the way for Amazon’s own direct-to-device satellite service launching in 2028. The deal will firmly place Amazon as the main competitor of Starlink in the burgeoning D2D space. But it also has ramifications for other satellite companies and telecoms operators.

This edition of the Industry Checkpoint series focuses on consumer digital services, highlighting how the market has changed in the last six months and its implications. The report considers three major developments: fresh momentum for consumer XR due to important releases from major tech players; AI agents breaking out in consumer digital services; and major digital gaming providers putting cloud gaming in an unprecedented position to challenge console gaming.

Digital transformation of enterprises is accelerating across all vertical sectors, with AI being an important driver and enabler and a top area of investment. GSMA Intelligence surveyed 5,320 enterprises across 32 countries and 10 vertical sectors to gain relevant insights into their digital transformation across a range of technologies. This report analyses the key findings and implications for AI.

The government and private sector in Japan have intensified their efforts to make a decisive ‘digital leap’ – a shift away from the incremental modernisation of legacy systems towards a bold, comprehensive transformation aimed at establishing a fully integrated, human-centred digital nation. By examining Japan’s recent digital policies and initiatives, this research reveals the strategic pillars and underlying factors supporting the country’s accelerated 'digital leap'.

Fixed markets continue to evolve around the world, with technology investments, competition, M&A and shifting consumer behaviour being major drivers. This quarterly series outlines the latest market developments and the key trends to watch, charting the period to 2030. The report also provides comprehensive cross-country comparisons at your fingertips, allowing you to identify which markets or technologies will grow the most.

Pay-TV markets are seeing an unprecedented evolution, driven by technology investments, shifting consumer behaviour and competition (including from OTT players). This quarterly series outlines the latest market developments and the key trends to watch, charting the period to 2030. The report also provides comprehensive cross-country comparisons at your fingertips, allowing you to identify which markets or technologies will grow the most or how OTT competition will impact the adoption of traditional pay TV.

Digital transformation of enterprises is accelerating across all vertical sectors, with IoT being an important driver and enabler. GSMA Intelligence surveyed 5,320 enterprises across 32 countries and 10 vertical sectors to gain relevant insights into their digital transformation across a range of technologies. This report analyses the key findings and implications for IoT.

Monetisation is the key objective in 2026 for telcos on APIs (as with other business lines) and their distribution partners, with the implications for go-to-market strategies being different depending on the API and buyer. It is important to quantify the commercial potential and buying likelihood of APIs across different sectors of the economy to accurately orient supply. To that end, GSMA Intelligence has developed the Open Gateway Demand Index, which aggregates a range of metrics to help understand where demand lies and the commercial opportunity for network APIs in each sector.

This report examines the major shifts reshaping fixed broadband, combining market analysis with a detailed review of operator propositions across eight countries. Growth dynamics are evolving, with mature markets approaching saturation and customer loyalty becoming harder to secure. Fibre continues to consolidate its position as the most important access technology, driven by ongoing migration from legacy networks and widening coverage through greenfield deployments. 5G FWA is also gaining traction, particularly where fixed deployment is constrained or too costly, and is increasingly being used for temporary, secondary or back-up connectivity.

GSMA Intelligence's Chart of the Month is a visual way of telling an important story in the mobile and broader tech ecosystem. From the shape and size of markets to trends in consumer behaviour, we aim to provide food for thought through informative visuals designed to bring colour and clarity to complex issues facing the industry. This edition looks at which topics telecoms operators focused on at MWC Barcelona 2026.

For much of 2025 and early 2026, the development of sovereign AI and sovereign digital service strategies – including the role telecoms could play in supporting them – was regularly in the news. For operators, the strategies represent an opportunity to support national agendas, reassert their relevance in the digital economy and drive new revenues based on their position as highly regulated and trusted service providers. This analysis looks at the sovereign messaging conveyed in sessions at MWC from operators, vendors, regulators and cloud providers.