5G global connections near one-third of world population with North America excelling in data consumption
Key Highlights:
- Global 5G connections: 2.4B (Q1 2025), projected to reach 8B by 2029
- Global data consumption: 358M TB in Q1
- North America 5G connections: 314M — covering 82% of population
- Per-user data in NA: 104.6 GB — up to 15× more than some regions
The wireless telecommunications sector continues to post extraordinary growth at of the end of Q1 2025. According to data from 5G Americas and Omdia, global 5G connections rose to 2.4 billion, with projections suggesting an increase to 8 billion by 2029, representing over 94 percent of forecasted global population coverage of 8.5 billion.
North America continues its leadership role in next-generation wireless connectivity. As of Q1 2025, North America reached 314 million 5G connections, which is 83 percent of the population. Cellular data traffic, for all generations, hit 40 million terabytes, or 104.6 GB per person, up to fifteen times higher than some regions. Looking ahead, North America’s 5G footprint is forecasted to expand to 772 million connections by 2029, reaching a penetration rate of 197 percent.
“This kind of saturation signals not just consumer usage but significant enterprise and IoT growth,” said Viet Nguyen, President of 5G Americas. “North America isn’t just leading in 5G adoption—it’s setting the pace for industrial transformation, innovation, and the future of connectivity.”
As of Q1 2025, globally there were 3.7 billion IoT connections, with this figure expected to rise to 4.9 billion by 2029. Increasingly, 5G is acting as the backbone for these IoT deployments—enabling mission‑critical use cases in smart factories, autonomous logistics, energy distribution, and healthcare. This shift is driving demand for ultra‑reliable, low‑latency communications, fundamentally changing how cellular networks support the digital economy.
“Reaching 2.4 billion 5G connections worldwide demonstrates that 5G is not just a regional wave—it’s a global tidal shift, transforming industries, consumer behavior, and the very fabric of connectivity across continents,” said Kristin Paulin, Principal Analyst at Omdia.
The current global 5G penetration stands at 30 percent, with uptake expected to rise sharply as infrastructure expands and device affordability improves, particularly in markets such as Latin America, Asia, and Africa. With more than 366 commercial 5G networks deployed globally—including 18 in North America—the industry is entering a transformative phase. Standalone 5G is gaining traction, mid-band spectrum is fueling high-capacity performance, and the adoption of 5G-enabled devices and services is accelerating across sectors.
The number of 5G and 4G LTE network deployments as of June 23, 2025, are summarized below:
5G:
- Global: 366
- North America: 18
4G LTE:
- Global: 706
- North America: 18
Visit www.5GAmericas.org for more information, statistical charts, and a list of LTE and 5G deployments by operator and region. Subscriber and forecast data is provided by Omdia and deployment data by 5G Americas and TeleGeography (GlobalComm).
