---
title: China the frontrunner for global IoT - Developing Telecoms
description: China has maintained its dominance in the global IoT market, with Chinese operators covering around 46% of cellular IoT connections in Q3 2017.
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  ![China the frontrunner for global IoT](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Features/800x600/iot-600.jpg)  

 

China has maintained its dominance in the global IoT market, with Chinese operators covering around 46% of cellular IoT connections in Q3 2017.

According to Counterpoint Research, China Mobile accounted for 32% of global IoT connections in the third quarter – the highest amount of any operator internationally. This follows year-on-year IoT growth of 106% for the operator as it continues its deployment of an NB-IoT network to capitalise on increasing opportunities in the sector.

China Unicom saw a 39% year-on-year increase in IoT connections for Q3, with a 9.4% market share. Meanwhile, China Telecom reached a 5% share with year-on-year growth of 17%. Collectively, the three main Chinese operators saw IoT connections grow by 75% year-on-year.

Q3 2017 saw a 41% year-on-year global increase in cellular IoT connections with more than half of cellular IoT connections now LTE-based, according to Counterpoint Research. The firm’s research director Peter Richardson said that the half-billion milestone was passed earlier in the year, representing relatively modest growth, but forecast that a further half billion connections would be made by 2020.

Asia saw IoT connections grow by 64.2% year-on-year in Q3, with the region accounting for 57.2% of global IoT connections. Within the region, 81% of connections are within China.

 

 

   
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