Communications market seen reaching $126.31 billion by 2030

The global communications market is projected to grow from $92.81 billion in 2026 to $126.31 billion by 2030, driven by 5G, IoT, AI-enabled chip design and rising smartphone use. Asia-Pacific held the largest share in 2025 and is expected to be the fastest-growing region.

Why it matters: - The communications market is tied to the chips and connectivity systems that power mobile devices, networks and connected products. - Faster growth in this market points to sustained demand for higher-bandwidth, lower-latency and more energy-efficient communication hardware. - Smartphone penetration and 5G deployment are expanding the addressable market across consumer and industrial applications.

What happened: - The Business Research Company projected the global communications market will rise from $92.81 billion in 2026 to $126.31 billion by 2030. - The forecast implies an 8.0% compound annual growth rate through 2030. - The market is projected to grow from $86.11 billion in 2025 to $92.81 billion in 2026, a 7.8% CAGR. - The report was published Oct. 1, 2026.

The details: - The communications sector covers integrated circuits that support data transmission, signal processing and connectivity across wired and wireless systems. - These chips are used in mobile devices, networking equipment and connected consumer and industrial products. - Historical growth has been supported by mobile device adoption, broader broadband and internet access, semiconductor manufacturing advances, wireless demand and 4G infrastructure upgrades. - Future growth is expected to come from advanced 5G deployment, ongoing 6G research, IoT-enabled communication systems, higher-bandwidth transmission needs, AI-driven signal processing IC design and autonomous and connected device networks. - The report points to rising use of high-speed 5G and advanced wireless ICs, AI-optimized communication chip architectures, edge computing-enabled communication ICs, energy-efficient semiconductor solutions and RF and mixed-signal IC innovation. - The market report includes market attractiveness scoring, TAM analysis, company scoring matrix graphics and tables, Excel-based forecasting dashboards, market hotspots infographics, key technology analysis, future trend analysis and updated graphics and tables. - A free sample of the report is available here. - The full report is available here.

Between the lines: - The forecast suggests the market is shifting from broad connectivity buildout toward more specialized chip architectures for 5G, AI and edge computing. - Asia-Pacific’s lead in 2025 and its expected pace of growth signal that the region will remain central to device demand, network upgrades and semiconductor deployment. - Ericsson reported in June 2024 that mobile subscriptions in Asia-Pacific are expected to rise from 1.2 billion in 2023 to 1.3 billion by 2029, underscoring the scale of the user base supporting the market.

What's next: - Market growth will likely track the pace of 5G rollout, 6G development, IoT adoption and upgrades in communication semiconductors. - Asia-Pacific is expected to remain the fastest-growing regional market during the forecast period. - The report also covers South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East and Africa.

The bottom line: - Communications semiconductors are set for steady expansion through 2030 as mobile connectivity, AI and next-generation wireless networks deepen demand.