Berg Insight: China driving global cellular IoT adoption

An “exceptional adoption” in China has lifted the global number of cellular IoT subscribers by 70% to reach 1.2 billion in 2018, says a report released by Berg Insight. The research firm predicts that there will be 9 billion IoT devices connected to cellular networks worldwide by 2023. China, which accounted for 63% of the global installed base in 2018, is expected to continue to be the key driver for IoT adoption, as the Chinese government is actively driving adoption as a tool for achieving domestic and economic policy goals. “China is deploying cellular IoT technology at a monumental scale”, said Tobias Ryberg, principal analyst and author of the report. According to data from the Chinese mobile operators, the installed base in the country increased by 124% year-on-year to reach 767 million at the end of 2018.