---
title: "Cisco: 50 Billion Things on the Internet by 2020 [Infographic]"
date: 2011-07-17
author: "Richard MacManus"
categories:
  - name: "ReadWriteWeb"
    url: "/category/readwriteweb.md"
tags:
  - name: "2011"
    url: "/tag/2011.md"
---

# Cisco: 50 Billion Things on the Internet by 2020 [Infographic]

![](https://web.archive.org/web/20120218151442im_/http://rww.readwriteweb.netdna-cdn.com/images/data_explosion.jpg)The [Internet of Things](https://web.archive.org/web/20120218151442/http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/internet-of-things/), when real world objects are connected to the Internet, is a trend that we’ve been actively tracking since early 2009. So far a lot of big technology infrastructure and solutions companies have gotten behind the trend, for the simple reason that they see a huge market opportunity. As more and more ‘things’ go on the Net, it creates more demand for network infrastructure like sensors and routers. Enter the likes of Cisco and [Verizon Wireless](https://web.archive.org/web/20120218151442/http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/m2m_world_of_verizon_wireless.php). Likewise, more technology solutions will be developed to upload and manage data from real world objects. Enter the likes of [IBM](https://web.archive.org/web/20120218151442/http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/ibm_ceo_lessons_opportunities_internet_of_things.php) and [HP](https://web.archive.org/web/20120218151442/http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/sensors_next_big_wave_of_computing.php).

Cisco has designed an infographic that offers a simple example of how Internet of Things will affect you in your everyday life. It also states that by 2020, there will be 50 billion ‘things’ connected to the Internet – everything from your body, car, alarm clock and even cows.

There has been some contention about the *number* of connected things and by when. Cisco’s prediction of 50 billion devices by 2020 matches [Ericsson CEO Hans Vestberg’s prediction](https://web.archive.org/web/20120218151442/http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/how_50_billion_connected_devices_could_transform_brand_marketing_everyday_life.php) earlier this year within a similar time period. However IBM recently put it at [1 trillion connected devices](https://web.archive.org/web/20120218151442/http://readwriteweb.com/enterprise/2010/06/ibm-a-world-with-1-trillion-co.php) by 2015. Indeed in April 2010, [Cisco’s own CTO Padmasree Warrior](https://web.archive.org/web/20120218151442/http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/verizon_att_cisco_internet_of_things.php) said that by 2013 the number of devices connected to the Internet will reach 1 trillion. So even Cisco doesn’t seem to have a consistent prediction.

Regardless, as the infographic below shows, the number of things connected to the Internet has already exceeded the number of people on earth. So this is a big trend – and big business for Cisco and other technology companies.

*Infographic [via All Things D](https://web.archive.org/web/20120218151442/http://allthingsd.com/20110714/cisco-reminds-us-once-again-how-big-the-internet-is-and-how-big-its-getting/)*

*Originally published on ReadWriteWeb ([archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20020204040018/http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/cisco_50_billion_things_on_the_internet_by_2020.php))*