Predicted growth of 1,140% in roaming IoT Connections by 2027, as Operator Network Strategies Disrupt Market

A new Juniper Research study has found that the global amount of data generated by roaming IoT connections will increase from 86 petabytes in 2022 to 1,100 petabytes by 2027; representing enough data to stream 165 million hours of 4K video from platforms such as Netflix.

This 1,140% growth will be driven by the termination of 3G networks; necessitating the adoption of low-power cellular networks. The research found that low-power wide-area networks provide a low-cost alternative to established operator-led cellular networks, such as 4G and 5G; driving the growth of IoT roaming connections through low-power, high-penetration coverage.

Roaming IoT connections use wireless services outside of their registered operator’s network; accessing connectivity from other cellular providers. 

Download the free whitepaper: The Evolution of IoT Roaming

5G Connectivity Restricted to High-value IoT Roaming Use Cases 

The research noted that only 2% of total IoT roaming connections will rely on 5G networks by 2027, due to the low-power consumption and infrequent data transmission exhibited by the majority of devices. It found that only use cases dependent on low-latency and high-speed data downloads, such as autonomous vehicles and connected factories, will justify enterprise investment in 5G connectivity.