Roaming IoT Connections to Generate 1,100 Petabytes by 2027

The global amount of data generated by roaming IoT connections will increase from 86 petabytes in 2022 to 1,100 petabytes by 2027, according to Juniper Research. It represents 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.

The report found that roaming IoT connections from the US will generate 277 petabytes of data by 2027; accounting for 26% of the global total. With AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon terminating 3G networks during 2022, it is anticipated that roaming IoT connections will be redistributed to low-power wide-area 4G or 5G networks depending on the use case.

“US operators must adopt the Billing & Charging Evolution protocol to accurately identify IoT traffic based on network technologies. Failure to do so will risk revenue leakage, if lucrative 5G roaming IoT traffic is misidentified as lower-value connectivity,“ remarked research author Scarlett Woodford.

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.