The 5G-IoT market is adapting to the technologies that make it scalable, energy-efficient, and suitable for globally connected devices. GSMA Intelligence forecasts strong growth of 38.7 billion IoT connections by 2030 and a CAGR of 8%. A large chunk of this growth is underpinned by emerging technologies like ambient IoT, non-terrestrial networks (NTN), and eSIM. It is innovations like these that are helping to underpin, and work in conjunction with, the wider 5G architecture. This was the focal point for the 5G-IoT Summit at MWC25, where industry leaders examined the forces driving this evolution.
Moving beyond conventional IoT: the rise of ambient IoT
One of the most compelling technologies to gain recent prominence is ambient IoT. Its emergence is an answer to high costs, power consumption, and infrastructural constraints. Crucially, ambient IoT enables low-cost, battery-free devices to connect and transmit data using harvested radio frequency (RF) energy. Eliminating dependency on batteries and wired power sources means businesses can embed ultra-low-cost, always-on sensors into products, shipments, and infrastructure.
Eric Casavant, Director of Technical Marketing at Wiliot, described his company’s solution, which uses low-cost tags, called ‘IoT Pixels’, to transmit data via Bluetooth. “We’re looking at an opportunity to connect trillions of devices to the IoT”. The ability to scale cost-effectively changes everything.” The ability to integrate passive connectivity into everyday objects may transform supply chain management, retail inventory tracking, and industrial logistics.
This shift is already influencing logistics, manufacturing, and retail, where real-time asset tracking is becoming critical. Ambient IoT provides another way to embed sensors into shelves, pallets, and packaging, to communicate directly with cloud platforms. This helps provide full visibility into stock levels and movement. By removing dependency on batteries and traditional network infrastructure, ambient IoT offers a path toward large-scale supply chain intelligence and automated inventory management.
eSIM and iSIM: reshaping 5G-IoT for a global market
Yet the success of IoT still hinges on the adoption of applications that require larger volumes of data—an area where eSIM and iSIM must play a central role. Enterprises’ requirements for a more agile approach to connectivity management mean the reliance on physical SIM cards is not sustainable for mass deployment across regions with varying network infrastructures. eSIM and iSIM provide the necessary flexibility, allowing devices to be
remotely provisioned and adapted to local networks without physical swaps. Simon Wakely, Global Head of Sales at Giesecke+Devrient, noted the operational impact: “For every product you’ve built, you’ve got 20 variants depending on one component—a SIM card. Late-stage personalisation means one SKU, one partner.”
This shift is already in motion, with 117 million eSIM-enabled devices now benefiting from remote provisioning. Meanwhile, iSIM takes this further by integrating SIM functionality directly into the device chipset, reducing cost, power consumption, and physical footprint.
Non-terrestrial networks: expanding 5G-IoT beyond cellular boundaries
As industries like agriculture, logistics, and emergency response push into remote and underserved regions, NTN is becoming critical to the IoT’s expansion. The limitations of terrestrial networks are a growing concern as IoT applications extend beyond urban environments. While cellular networks cover much of the world’s population, only a fraction of the Earth’s surface has reliable coverage. This is where NTN—via satellite and high-altitude platforms—creates new opportunities for continuous, global connectivity. As Shamik Basu, Vice President of Strategic Connectivity for Verizon Business said, “satellite connectivity is not an afterthought. It’s here and now. if you’re not thinking about satellite, if your customer is not asking the question, I think it’s the time to be proactive.”
New-generation NTN solutions are optimized for IoT. For example, low earth orbit (LEO) satellites provide lower latency and cost-effective data transmission. This makes satellite connectivity viable for large-scale deployments. This is in contrast to traditional geostationary satellites, which have long signal travel times and high operational costs. LEO satellites, on the other hand, provide near-real-time data exchange with minimal power consumption.
Paul Hanton, Vice President of Global Carrier Partnerships from Skylo, reinforced NTN’s value. He noted that satellite IoT is not a future technology—it is already being used at scale. Hybrid IoT architectures that combine NTN with terrestrial 5G are the route to ensuring seamless connectivity. This is because it enables devices to switch automatically between cellular and satellite networks when needed. The broader integration of NTN with terrestrial 5G is essential for truly global, seamless, uninterrupted coverage. For applications like maritime logistics, energy infrastructure monitoring, and precision agriculture, it is critical. Companies investing in hybrid IoT architectures will gain a competitive advantage in operational reliability.
Complementing technologies within 5G-IoT
The new era of IoT requires seamless interoperability between networks, devices, and platforms. Standardisation efforts, such as SGP 32 for eSIM and IoT remote management, are critical for ensuring that IoT solutions scale effectively across industries. “We have 2.7 billion eSIM-enabled devices in the market,” said Andreas Morawietz, Global Head of eSIM & Solutions Portfolio for Giesecke+Devrient. The next step, as he saw it, is to use existing interoperability principles to help achieve a scale.
This is necessary because the 5G era of IoT means accommodating even more devices and forms of connectivity to support the emergence of new enterprise applications. The rise of ambient IoT is a key reflection of this, removing the constraints of power consumption and cost. This allows devices to scale into the trillions without the infrastructure overhead of traditional IoT. Meanwhile, NTN is eliminating coverage gaps, ensuring that IoT is as pervasive in remote locations as it is in urban environments.
But this shift is not just about enabling more connections—it is about redefining how industries extract value from connectivity itself. Moreover, it’s about ensuring people can access critical services, wherever they are on the planet. Pressure will continue to mount on the mobile industry to innovate and support the growth of the overall IoT. As long as the industry stays united, adaptable, and responsive, it will continue to meet evolving demands. The 5G era is advancing in ways no one fully predicted, but its impact is clear—more people and devices are connecting than ever before.
Relive all the action of the 5G IoT Summit at MWC25 Barcelona and watch it on-demand. 5G IoT Summit at MWC25 Barcelona: A Resounding Success | Internet of Things
