Cellular M2M/IoT connections in APAC to reach 1.3bn by 2030

Aaron Blutstein 30 September 2025  

The number of Machine-to-Machine (M2M) and Internet of Things (IoT) cellular connections in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is set to climb to 1.3 billion by the end of 2030, according to new forecasts from GlobalData.

The data and analytics firm predicts connections will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.1% between 2025 and 2030, fuelled by advances in 5G, the expansion of digital infrastructure, and widening use cases for IoT ecosystems, particularly in developed markets.

GlobalData’s Asia-Pacific Total Mobile Broadband Forecast (Q2 2025) also shows that 5G mobile subscriptions in the region are expected to increase at a CAGR of 11.4% over the same period, underpinned by rising network coverage in mature markets. South Korea, Japan, Singapore and Australia are leading the way in 5G adoption, while Hong Kong and China are expected to record the highest penetration rates by 2025.

Kantipudi Pradeepthi, Telecom Analyst at GlobalData, said: “The expansion and evolution of 5G networks, which offers ultra-low latency, high-bandwidth connectivity and the capacity to connect massive number of devices crucial for M2M/IoT ecosystems will be a crucial for the market growth over the forecast period. Developed markets in the region, backed by high 5G penetration and mature digital infrastructure are naturally expected to lead IoT adoption, and see higher M2M connections.”

GlobalData highlights a range of developing use cases across manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, transport and security, as well as in digital infrastructure such as smart cities, buildings, grids and retail. Dedicated connectivity plans from operators are also expected to accelerate take-up.

Examples include PLDT in the Philippines, which offers M2M and IoT solutions targeting smart city, retail, building, utilities and manufacturing applications. In New Zealand, Spark provides connected mobility services for healthcare, agriculture and transport, with features spanning device management, cost control and security. Meanwhile, India’s Bharti Airtel supplies M2M SIM cards in multiple formats, including industrial-grade, consumer-grade, embedded and eSIMs, designed for a variety of deployment scenarios.

Pradeepthi added: “The increasing demand for high-speed connectivity and enterprise-grade IoT solutions is poised to significantly reshape the mobile landscape across the APAC region. This transformation presents telcos with opportunities for new revenue streams and diversification.

“Operators that focus on expanding wireless coverage for IoT devices, enhance network reliability for critical applications, and bundle customised data-centric IoT services such as device management platforms and tailored industry solutions will be well-positioned to capitalise on the trend and unlock substantial long-term revenue potential.”