US nears universal adoption as North America leads 5G

The global wireless industry has continued its rapid expansion in the third quarter of 2025, with global 5G connections have reached 2.8 billion worldwide. And, six years after the mobile communications technology first arrived in the region, North America stands at the vanguard of the market, according to a study from 5G Americas.

The survey comprised a list of LTE and 5G deployments by operator and region, using deployment data from the industry trade organisation made up of telecommunications service providers and manufacturers, and with subscriber and forecast data provided by analyst Omdia.

In all, the analysis found that as of 15 November 2025, there were 379 commercial 5G networks deployed worldwide, including 17 in North America, alongside 707 LTE networks globally. 5G Americas said this infrastructure expansion was key to supporting skyrocketing demand for ultra-reliable, low-latency connectivity.

The study revealed that North America remains one of the world’s most technologically advanced 5G markets, achieving what the study said was “exceptionally high” adoption levels driven by strong consumer uptake and strong technological leadership, including enhanced 5G features that improve performance, efficiency and real-world network intelligence for consumers and enterprises alike.

In terms of 5G penetration, the US accounted for 341 million 5G connections against a population of 344 million – one of the highest 5G penetration rates globally. As a region, North America leads the world in 5G penetration, reaching 363 million 5G connections in Q3 2025, representing nearly 95% of the region’s population.

While Asia was market leader in absolute 5G volume – with 2 billion 5G connections currently – North America was top dog in per capita 5G adoption, significantly outperforming the global average of 36%. Globally, 4G LTE and 5G fixed wireless access accounted for 78.14 million connections at the end of Q3 2025, with a year-over-year (YoY) growth rate of 27%.

North America also continued to show strength in the internet of things (IoT), with 278 million connected cellular devices today. This figure is projected to rise to 459 million by 2030, a 65% increase that reflects growing adoption across manufacturing, logistics, utilities and consumer electronics.

Looking ahead, 5G Americas noted that non-terrestrial networks including satellite connectivity were emerging as a complementary layer to terrestrial 5G, extending coverage to remote areas, supporting resiliency during emergencies and enabling seamless service continuity across land, sea and air.

Globally, cellular IoT subscriptions are expected to reach five billion by 2030, signalling expanding enterprise and industrial uses. Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a key enabler in this growth, said 5G Americas, helping operators and enterprises to automate network operations, optimise traffic in real time and unlock smarter IoT applications at scale.

North America’s 5G connections are forecast to grow to 867 million by 2030, more than doubling from current levels. This growth is said to reflect a shift toward multi-device 5G environments, supporting advanced mobility, fixed wireless access and a broad array of connected platforms.

Additionally, fixed wireless access (FWA) has emerged as a growing driver of multi-device adoption, expanding high-speed broadband choice for households and small businesses, particularly in markets where fibre deployment is limited or still underway.

“The US and North America continue to demonstrate leadership in the global 5G ecosystem. High user adoption, broad device availability and sustained investment in next-generation networks position the region at the forefront of innovation as we move to early 5G-Advanced capabilities,” said Viet Nguyen, president of 5G Americas.

“Over the next few quarters, we expect to see improved uplink performance, advanced MIMO and integrated sensing and positioning that will further expand what 5G can deliver across industry, public services and immersive experiences, while accelerating progress on the path to 6G.”

Kristin Paulin, principal analyst at Omdia, added: “North American operators continue to invest in capabilities that will support enterprise transformation and next-generation services. These efforts are creating a robust foundation for future innovation and sustained subscriber growth.”