Key Highlights:
- 5G Global Connections: 1.5 wireless connections per person worldwide by end of 2024
- North America Leads the Way: 5G connections reach 289 million, covering 77% of the region’s population.
- IoT Expansion Surges: 438 million new IoT connections added in 2024, driving the global total to 3.6 billion.
The global wireless telecommunications industry achieved a historic milestone in 2024, with 5G connections reaching 2.25 billion worldwide.
This remarkable growth highlights 5G’s rapid adoption, far outpacing previous wireless generations. According to 5G Americas and Omdia, 5G has expanded four times faster than 4G LTE did in a comparable period, when LTE had just surpassed 500 million connections at the end of 2014. The global mobile ecosystem continues to expand, with 1.5 wireless connections per person worldwide by the end of 2024—up from one connection per person in 2014.
The momentum is expected to continue, with forecasts indicating 8.3 billion 5G connections by 2029, representing 59% of all global wireless technologies. Meanwhile, the Internet of Things (IoT) saw unprecedented expansion, adding 438 million new connections in 2024, bringing the global total to 3.6 billion.
“Reaching 2.25 billion 5G connections globally is a powerful indicator of how rapidly this technology is transforming the world—but it’s also a reminder of North America’s leadership in shaping that future,” said Viet Nguyen, President of 5G Americas. “With 5G now reaching 77 percent of our population, the region continues to set the pace for innovation, network deployment, and advanced use cases. This momentum speaks to the strength of our ecosystem—industry collaboration, investment, and forward-looking policy—all working together to make next-generation connectivity a reality.”
North America remains a global leader in 5G adoption, closing 2024 with 289 million 5G connections, representing a 67 percent year-over-year increase from 196 million connections at the end of 2023. North America also has 77 percent of the region covered by 5G. For comparison, 4G LTE adoption in North America had only reached 47 percent regional coverage by the equivalent point in 2014.
Beyond adoption rates, North America is also the first region in the world to reach parity between the number of commercial 5G and 4G LTE networks, reflecting the maturity and pace of next-generation network deployment. This leadership is fueled by robust industry investment, collaborative innovation, and a regulatory environment that continues to foster cutting-edge applications in areas like industrial automation, telehealth, smart infrastructure, and AI-powered connectivity.
“North America continues to showcase rapid 5G growth, outpacing previous generations and setting the benchmark for global adoption,” said Kristin Paulin, Principal Analyst at Omdia.
Latin America also witnessed a significant surge in 5G adoption, doubling its 5G connections in one year to 76 million by 2024 year-end—up from 38.5 million in 2023. While 5G expansion accelerates, 4G LTE remains the dominant technology, with 593 million users, accounting for 74 percent of all wireless connections in the region.
The pace of 5G network deployments also continues to exceed that of 4G LTE at a similar stage of its rollout. As of March 17, 2025, there are 354 commercial 5G networks globally, with North America leading in parity, being the only region where the number of 5G and LTE networks are equal. Europe follows, where 5G deployments have reached 72 percent of LTE networks.
The number of 5G and 4G LTE network deployments as of March 17, 2025 is summarized below:
5G:
- Global: 354
- North America: 18
- Latin America and Caribbean: 53
4G LTE:
- Global: 706
- North America: 18
- Latin America and Caribbean: 134
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