The total number of M2M/IoT cellular connections in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region will hit 1.3 billion by 2030, according to research firm GlobalData. This will be driven by 5G developments, expanding digital infrastructure, and growing use cases for IoT ecosystems, the company projects. Growth will be particularly high in developed countries in the region.

Overall, the company is forecasting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.1% to 2030. 5G mobile subscriptions are expected to grow at 11.4% during the period, as network coverage expands.

China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Singapore and Australia will be the main regional drivers of growth. Hong Kong and China are expected to achieve the highest 5G penetration rates in the region.

Use cases driving growth will include manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, transportation, and security, and in digital infrastructure applications such as smart cities, smart buildings, smart grids, and smart stores.

“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,” said Kantipudi Pradeepthi, Telecom Analyst at GlobalData. “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.”