China unveils plan to boost mobile IoT sector

China anticipates supporting 3.6 billion mobile IoT connections by 2027

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has introduced a plan to advance the development of the mobile Internet of Things (IoT) sector in the country, Chinese press reported. This initiative is aimed at enhancing the sector’s supply chain, fostering innovation and increasing industrial value.

The plan highlights the integration of mobile IoT in areas like intelligent connected vehicles, healthcare and smart homes. In particular, for intelligent vehicles, mobile IoT will support functions such as driving monitoring, autonomous driving, information sharing and complex environment sensing, it added.

By 2027, the goal is to boost the mobile IoT ecosystem, with an expected 3.6 billion terminal connections. China also plans to establish over five mobile IoT industrial clusters and more than 10 industry demonstration bases by that time.

The plan focuses on four key tasks: strengthening the foundational IoT network, enhancing innovation, promoting the integration of smart technologies and creating a supportive environment for growth. Furthermore, the ministry seeks to accelerate the integration of mobile IoT with key industries, aiding in digital transformation and industrialization.

As of July 2023, China had a total of 2.55 billion mobile IoT connections, which represents 59% of the country’s total mobile terminal connections.

The global cellular IoT connectivity market generated revenues of $15 billion from a total of 3.6 billion cellular IoT connections in 2023, according to a recent report by IoT Analytics.

The consolidated market saw its top five mobile IoT network operators manage 83% of all global cellular IoT connections, and the top five by revenue receive 64% of the combined revenue, according to the report.

China Mobile contributed 46% of global cellular IoT connections  and 20% of global cellular IoT connectivity revenue in 2023. China Mobile’s cellular IoT connections grew by 20% year-on-year chiefly due to its one-stop solution strategy, shifting focus from pure connectivity to comprehensive solutions, IoT Analytics said.

Meanwhile, China Telecom contributed 15% of global cellular IoT connections and 7% of global cellular IoT connectivity revenue last year. China Telecom’s cellular IoT connection surged by 28% year-on-year due to a focus on urban management solutions, the research firm said.

China Unicom contributed 14% of global cellular IoT connections and 10% of global cellular IoT connectivity revenue. The carrier’s cellular IoT connection grew by 28% compared to the previous year due to the adoption of 4G and 5G high-speed technologies.