The global wireless telecommunications industry has noted substantial growth in 2024, with 5G connections reaching 2.25 billion globally, a rate of expansion four times faster than that of 4G LTE during a similar timeframe. Insights from 5G Americas and Omdia reveal that at the end of 2014, 4G LTE connections had just surpassed 500 million.

Forecasts suggest the trend will continue, with expectations of 8.3 billion 5G connections by 2029, accounting for 59% of all wireless technologies. In addition, the Internet of Things (IoT) experienced significant growth, adding 438 million new connections in 2024 to reach a global total of 3.6 billion.

Viet Nguyen, President of 5G Americas, highlighted North America's role in this expansion. He stated, “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.” As of the end of 2024, North America achieved 289 million 5G connections, marking a 67% increase from 196 million the previous year.

In North America, 77% of the region's population has access to 5G, surpassing 4G LTE's 47% coverage by the same stage in 2014. The region has also reached parity between commercial 5G and 4G LTE networks, indicating a mature deployment landscape supported by industry investment and policy.

Kristin Paulin, Principal Analyst at Omdia, remarked on the rapid growth pattern in North America, indicating its benchmark status for global adoption. Latin America has also seen growth, doubling its 5G connections to 76 million in 2024, although 4G LTE remains the dominant technology in the region.

Currently, as of March 2025, there are 354 commercial 5G networks globally. North America is notable for being the only region where the number of 5G and 4G LTE networks are equal.

The advancements in connectivity promise numerous applications in various sectors, including industrial automation and AI-powered services.