ABI Research highlighted satellites as a key component of IoT growth, predicting some 24 million connections will be made via such networks by 2024.

The research company pointed to maritime and aviation tracking as two important sectors for the satellite market due to gaps in ground-based infrastructure, but added significant growth is also expected in agriculture and asset tracking.

ABI Research analyst Harriet Sumnall noted in a statement the expansion of satellite networks will “allow for connectivity to be more global”.

“Terrestrial cellular networks only cover 20 per cent of the Earth’s surface, while satellite networks can cover the entire surface of the globe, from pole to pole”.

“While the market using satellite connection is still immature, it shows great opportunities for growth.”

The prediction comes as competition in the satellite market heats up, with companies including Amazon, OneWeb, SpaceX and even Facebook pursuing space-based goals.

Mobile operators are also exploring satellite opportunities. In April, China Mobile teamed up with ZTE to launch a satellite-based solution capable of extending its mobile coverage to sea for maritime communication.