Newly released data on wireless confirms that the telecommunications industry generated 2.25 billion 5G connections worldwide in 2024, with North America maintaining its leadership position in 5G adoption.
Industry trade group 5G Americas and technology research firm Omdia said in a press release last week that 5G expanded four times faster than 4G LTE did in a similar time period. Another measure of the expansion of mobile ecosystems, they said, is that there were 1.5 wireless connections per person worldwide by the end of 2024, up from one connection per person 10 years ago.
The organizations said they expect the rapid adoption of 5G to persist. They cited forecasts of 8.3 billion 5G connections by 2029, which would represent 59% of all global wireless technologies.
By the end of 2024, North America had set its position as a global frontrunner in 5G adoption, achieving 289 million 5G connections — a significant 67% increase from the 196 million connections recorded at the end of 2023. And 5G coverage now extends to 77% of North America, a significant milestone compared with the 47% coverage in North America achieved by 4G LTE in 2014 during a similar stage of its rollout.
Viet Nguyen, president of 5G Americas, said: “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.
“With 5G now reaching 77% 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,” Nguyen said.
North America also leads globally in network advancement. It is the first region to equalize the number of commercial 5G and 4G LTE networks. This progress is driven by strong industry investment, innovation, and supportive regulations enabling advances in applications such as automation, telehealth, smart infrastructure, and AI-powered connectivity, noted 5G Americas and Omdia in their 5G adoption report.
The Internet of Things (IoT) also experienced outstanding growth: it added 438 million new connections in 2024, for a total of 3.6 billion connections globally.
A February 2025 report from Ookla indicated who is using 5G and where. The report examined 5G usage across carriers, as well as usage in urban areas compared with rural areas. One of the chief findings: T-Mobile has the largest percentage of 5G users spending time on 5G in both urban and rural markets.
