LTE, IoT Connections Growing at Rapid Rate, 5G Americas Says

The number of IoT connections in North America hit 250 million in Q1, based on figures from Ovum, 5G Americas said Monday. LTE connections also continued to soar, the group said in a news release. Latin America and the Caribbean were second of all world regions for LTE additions, growing 268 percent year over year, surpassed only by the combined Central and Southern Asia region, the group said. In North America as a whole, there were 253 million LTE connections by March, for a net gain of 67 million LTE customers in the past 12 months, a 36 percent growth rate, the group said. The group also reported 69 commercial LTE networks in the U.S. and Canada and seven LTE-Advanced networks. “Even though 5G has captured the minds of the industry, LTE continues to grow at a tremendous rate,” said Chris Pearson, president of 5G Americas. “LTE will be the mobile broadband foundation for 5G as coverage increases and by its continued evolution with new inventive technical features to connect people and machines.”