North America is leading in the adoption of new mobile technologies such as 4G networks, the Internet of Things and digital commerce, as well as innovations in operating systems and apps, according to a new GSMA study.

The report, "The Mobile Economy - North America 2015," highlights that the region has been an early adopter of 4G networks, which are driving considerable growth in mobile data traffic, according to a press release about the report.

4G is forecast to account for more than 80 percent of total connections by 2020. North America is home to more than 250 million unique subscribers — equivalent to a penetration rate of 70 percent — and 360 million mobile connections (excluding M2M), with three-quarters of these being smartphones.

"The North American mobile industry has been the strongest performing of any developed region globally for some time, characterized by substantial subscriber growth, the early adoption of new technologies, high levels of mobile usage and strong revenue trends," Michael O’Hara, chief maarketing officer for GSMA, said in a statement. "The region continues to lead innovation in a number of areas in the mobile ecosystem, including hardware, access technologies, operating systems and new apps and services that are scaling rapidly and changing how individuals live and work."