Will the global number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices connected to 5G networks (excluding smartphones) exceed 2 billion by the end of 2028?

5G and the IoT Explosion: 2 Billion Connected Devices by 2028

The rollout of 5G is not just about faster phone downloads; its true transformative power lies in its ability to support massive numbers of low-power, high-density connections with extremely low latency—the ideal foundation for the Internet of Things (IoT). This prediction targets the global number of 5G-connected IoT devices (excluding traditional smartphones) exceeding 2 billion by the end of 2028.

The Industrial and Enterprise Shift

The vast majority of this growth will come from the enterprise and industrial sectors, including:

• **Smart Cities:** Connected sensors for traffic management, utility monitoring, and public safety.
• **Industrial Automation (IIoT):** Robots, predictive maintenance sensors, and logistics trackers in factories and warehouses.
• **Healthcare:** Remote patient monitoring devices and connected medical equipment.

5G's specific protocols, like mMTC (massive Machine-Type Communications) and URLLC (Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications), are perfectly suited for these applications. Current market analysis already places 5G IoT connections on a steep growth curve. Given the multi-year investment cycles in industrial infrastructure, 2028 is a highly probable year for reaching this 2 billion device milestone.