Navigating IoT Connectivity Technologies: What They Are, Why They Matter, and When to Adopt Them?

Statista predicts that the number of IoT devices in the world will increase almost two times from 19.8 billion this year to over 40.6 billion in 2034. China will be the leading country with around 7.51 billion consumer devices.

Connectivity technologies are the pillars of IoT solutions. They allow devices to communicate, exchange data, and interact with each other in real-time. Devices become capable of controlling and sharing the information.

Custom software development companies like PixelPlex offer IoT connectivity services to startups and enterprises from different business verticals. Our team of developers and IT engineers consulted us on the types of IoT connectivity solutions and their benefits for companies. Read this article if you feel that IoT is your growth point.

What is IoT Connectivity?

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a kit of technologies that provides devices with the ability to communicate some information (e.g., their status, battery condition, location, etc.) to other systems. After receiving the information, the systems take certain relevant actions.

The IoT is considered to have been born around 1999, when the phrase “Internet for things” was first used to describe the process of communication between people and devices and between devices themselves. It became possible due to special short-range mobile transceivers embedded in gadgets.

Today, the application of IoT devices has penetrated all spheres of life, including consumer, industrial, commercial, and infrastructure spaces. The IoT development services allow businesses to have an entire “nervous system” for their systems, where sensors, machines, and software communicate, generate useful data, and automate processes.

IoT connectivity trends

Here are some key facts about the IoT market trends from the 2025 McKinsey technology report:

• The foundation for 6G is created, which will use sensing technology to generate data.
• 5G technologies mature, and the network-slicing market is developing. It provides networks with high speed, reduced waste, and increased efficiency.
• The private wireless network market is growing at a CAGR of 23%. It offers secure and reliable connectivity services for industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, and transportation.
• The demand for fiber optics has increased, caused by the needs of AI infrastructure.
• Non-terrestrial networks improve global connectivity coverage and spread the communication to remote areas.
• Digital twins facilitate the navigation and management of complex systems.
• The emergence of AI-RAN (artificial intelligence-radio access network) allows for building new mobile networks that will handle both regular mobile communication and AI tasks efficiently.

What are the advantages of IoT technology solutions?

Autonomous vehicles, smart houses, and remote health monitoring systems are no longer the details of a sci-fi movie. It’s the reality we live in. The IoT connectivity solutions improve the performance and bring optimized workflows to such domains as healthcare, real estate, production, logistics, retail, transport, agriculture, and we can continue this list. So, the IoT is everywhere. What do businesses receive after implementing the IoT connectivity technology?

The benefits of IoT connectivity solutions include:

Operational efficiency & cost optimization

• Enhanced efficiency and productivity: IoT sensors on assembly lines monitor machine performance and product quality in real time. It allows for automatic adjustment and accelerated speed of production.
• Predictive maintenance: IoT sensors predict equipment failures before they occur. For example, vibration, temperature, and pressure sensors detect early signs of wear or malfunction. Maintenance teams receive alerts before breakdowns occur, which saves costs.
• Cost savings: Predictive maintenance helps reduce operational expenses. For instance, in agriculture, sensors measure soil moisture and nutrient levels. Irrigation and fertilization are applied only when needed, cutting water and fertilizer expenses.
• Remote monitoring and control: In healthcare, remote monitoring of patient vitals allows caregivers to track health status and adjust treatments from anywhere. It improves response times and reduces hospital visits.

Data & decision-making enhancement

• Real-time data and decision-making: The IoT connectivity solutions enable gathering data and reacting instantly to changing conditions. For example, manufacturers use real-time machine performance data to optimize production flows and avoid breakdowns.
• Scalability and flexibility: IoT solutions scale easily with business growth and can integrate across diverse platforms. Logistics companies scale tracking solutions for thousands of vehicles and packages across multiple countries and they don’t have to re-architect their systems. Integration across diverse IoT technologies (cellular, LPWAN, Bluetooth) allows devices to operate over wide areas while supporting localized data flows.
• Expanded connectivity: Technologies like 5G support high device density and low latency for demanding applications. Therefore, multiple devices such as driverless vehicles and smart grids operate at high speed.

Customer experience & business innovation

• Improved customer experience: Users set smart homes to their preferences (lighting, temperature, etc.). Retailers use connectivity in IoT to track in-store customer behavior and provide personalized promotions, optimize product layouts, and enhance engagement and sales.
• Innovation enablement: Combining IoT with AI and edge computing allows businesses to develop new services. For example, predictive maintenance services analyze sensor data locally to offer subscription models that reduce downtime costs. Smart city applications aggregate data from IoT devices to optimize traffic flow, energy use, and public safety.

Security & compliance

• Enhanced security and compliance: IoT platforms use such security measures like encryption, anomaly detection, and regulatory compliance. Enterprises ensure their IoT devices and data handling meet regulations such as GDPR or industry-specific standards, minimizing risk.

Major IoT connectivity technologies in 2025-2026

Cellular networks

IoT cellular connectivity means using mobile phone networks to connect IoT devices to the internet. These devices send and receive data through cellular towers. Therefore, communication is possible from almost any location with network coverage. Cellular IoT works through existing mobile networks (2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G), depending on the device’s needs.

Low-power wide-area networks (LPWAN)

As it comes from the name, this connectivity demands minimal power consumption. LPWAN allows for connecting IoT devices over long distances. These networks are perfect for devices that need to send small amounts of data occasionally. For instance, sensors and meters share the data from time to time, and the batteries are fully charged for a longer period. This type of connection is ideal for industrial and environmental sensors, as they don’t need high data speeds but require reliable and wide coverage.

Short-range wireless technologies

This type of connectivity in IoT includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Thread. These technologies connect IoT devices over short distances, e.g., within a home, office, or building. Wi-Fi is a high-speed internet access for devices nearby. Bluetooth low energy (BLE) saves battery power and connects devices like wearables and sensors within about 30 meters. Zigbee and Thread are low-power mesh networks. It means they allow many devices to communicate by passing data seamlessly through nearby nodes.

Satellite and non-terrestrial networks (NTN)

Satellite connectivity covers remote or hard-to-reach areas worldwide due to satellites or airborne platforms. Ground networks are helpless in such regions. NTNs follow certain standards to integrate with cellular networks, which allows for global IoT device connectivity. It is convenient for applications like agriculture, logistics, and environmental monitoring. They offer wide-area coverage and serve as backup connectivity to ensure reliable communication everywhere.

Wired connectivity

Wired connectivity uses physical cables like Ethernet to link IoT devices. It offers very stable, secure, and high-speed communication. That’s why this type of IoT connectivity is good for industrial environments. The Power over Ethernet (PoE) method reduces the need for separate power sources.

Here’s a table summarizing the key facts about the mentioned IoT types:

Hybrid connectivity approaches

There might be a combination of IoT technology solutions if a business needs to address several issues and achieve multiple goals. Hybrid technologies optimize coverage, cost, and power usage. This way, they cope with the limitations of any single connectivity method.

Hybrid connectivity involves integrating technologies like cellular (5G, LTE-M, NB-IoT), LPWANs (LoRaWAN or mioty®), satellite communications, and short-range wireless protocols (Bluetooth LE, Wi-Fi) into unified solutions. Devices or gateways dynamically switch or aggregate connections depending on signal availability, power efficiency, or data needs.

Here are some examples of integrated hybrid technologies:

Cellular + LPWAN

Devices use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to communicate with nearby sensors or gadgets in a small area. These Bluetooth connections collect and group the data, then send it over longer distances using networks like LPWAN or cellular. This way, the devices save power on local communication but can still send data far away to cloud services.

For example, the Finnish company Ruuvi Innovations offers a device that acts both as a Bluetooth sensor and a cellular gateway, allowing nearby Bluetooth devices to connect locally and then send their data through a cellular network.

In short, Bluetooth LE handles short-range, low-energy communication among devices close to each other, while LPWAN or cellular networks take care of sending the combined data over longer distances to the internet or cloud.

Satellite + terrestrial networks

Providers like Monogoto and Skylo offer hybrid satellite-cellular IoT connectivity, allowing devices to seamlessly switch from terrestrial cellular networks to satellite when out of range. This ensures continuous data transmission for applications such as remote environmental monitoring in mountainous regions or maritime logistics. Such solutions typically use SIM-based authentication and standard cellular protocols adapted for satellite links.

5G + Wi-Fi + LPWAN

Hybrid approaches use the fast speed and quick response of 5G for things that need real-time action. They use LPWAN to send small amounts of sensor data over long distances with very low power. Wi-Fi is used for fast data transfer nearby. Combining these makes flexible networks that work well in many different IoT situations.

Benefits of hybrid connectivity

• Continuous coverage: When the network connection becomes unstable, hybrid solutions ensure devices remain connected. Different networks switch between each other to avoid losing data.
• Optimized power usage: Technologies like LPWAN have low power consumption. If you use them for routine data and switch to higher-power networks when necessary, battery life will be prolonged.
• Cost efficiency: Use cheaper local wireless or low-power wide-area networks when possible and rely on costly cellular or satellite data transmission if it is required.
• Scalability and flexibility: Hybrid connectivity allows businesses to link a wide range of IoT applications across multiple industries. Therefore, they receive mobility and seamless data sharing regardless of the geographic location.
• Future-proofing deployments: Hybrid connectivity allows for fast and easy integration of network innovations and new advanced technologies.

How to choose IoT connectivity technologies?

As you can see, there are numerous technologies in IoT that are capable of bringing companies tangible results. They differ in coverage, power consumption, expenses, etc. There is no type of connectivity that will suit any project. Business owners have to choose the right type that will match the needs of a particular product or service. To do that, they must assess the following criteria:

• Power consumption and battery life: Consider whether your IoT technology solutions will have access to charging stations. For devices that operate in remote areas, opt for extended battery life.
• Data volume and latency needs: How much data do you want your IoT device to transmit? How often and of what types? Do you need high-speed data transmission in real time or periodic sharing of the data from the sensors?
• Coverage and mobility: Think of the distance that your device will need to cover to transmit the data to the processing module. Is it an office or an agricultural field? Select the coverage that will not worsen the quality of the connection.
• Security and compliance: IoT devices are common targets of cyber attacks. So, make sure the network technology is secure and that relevant protection measures (user authentication, encryption, etc.) are applied.
• Cost structure and scalability: Select the type of connectivity that you can afford, but also the one that will provide sufficient network quality.

The role of AI in enhancing IoT connectivity

Artificial intelligence adds additional functionality to IoT solutions. For example, AIoT (AI + IoT) equips IoT devices with intelligence, reduces dependence on cloud infrastructure, and enhances security. Here are some other benefits that IoT technology gains with AI:

• AI models embedded on IoT edge devices analyze data in real time right where it’s generated (on sensors, machines, gateways, wearables), so there’s no need to send data back to the cloud.
• AI in the IoT detects anomalies, predicts maintenance needs, and optimizes operations instantly. For example, a machine detecting unusual vibrations can trigger preventive shutdowns to avoid damage without cloud delays.
• Processing data locally means that devices send only critical insights or summaries to central servers, which saves bandwidth and protects sensitive information.
• AI models learn. For example, they adjust the settings of smart homes based on user habits, which improves user experience and efficiency.

Smart manufacturing

As a tech trend of 2024, Deloitte mentioned digital twins and spatial simulations that make factories and manufacturing processes safer and more efficient. This year, the tendency continues to reveal itself. The revenue generated by the industrial metaverse, according to the same Deloitte report, is expected to reach $100 billion by 2030 and leave the enterprise and consumer segments behind ($30 and $50 billion, respectively). Factory workers benefit from devices such as smart glasses that allow them to process 3D interactions. Still, the industrial metaverse goes further, leveraging AI and spatial data to replicate real-life manufacturing processes. Prototyping virtual equipment, simulating working with it, and consulting experts who are physically located in other regions of the country are the new reality.

Healthcare monitoring

Wearable devices locally analyze vital signs to detect abnormalities and immediately alert patients or providers. Therefore, patients become actively engaged in their health management. For example, IoT systems for cardiac monitoring reduce emergency hospitalizations. It improves patient outcomes and decreases the workload of emergency rooms and departments.

Autonomous vehicles

Self-driving cars use AI to communicate with each other, pedestrians, and road infrastructure. It allows vehicles to avoid traffic jams, queues at petrol stations, and optimize routes. The general conditions on the road become safer for all the participants.

Smart cities

Smart city IoT systems gather data from traffic cameras, environmental sensors, public utilities, etc., to monitor and manage urban resources. These systems detect issues like air pollution, waste management needs, or traffic bottlenecks and immediately send alerts. This leads to enhanced quality of life, reduced environmental impact, and more responsive urban services.

Retail and in-store analytics

IoT devices in stores collect data on customer behavior, inventory, and store conditions in real time. The staff can instantly react, optimize product placement, or manage stock. It improves sales and customer satisfaction while reducing operational inefficiencies.

Conclusion: The importance of strategic partnership

To sum up, the sphere of IoT connectivity devices is obviously broad. It continues to develop and offer new opportunities to businesses. However, choosing the right technology as well as developing a strategy for IoT implementation is a hard nut to crack. With a competent software development partner, businesses receive support, expertise, and relevant tools. Contact our experts, and we will discuss your expectations and offer proper solutions.