Internet of things (IoT) is making the world a smarter and more responsive place by connecting the digital and physical worlds. Adding sensors to different objects and connecting them with each other through the internet adds a level of intelligence to them. This intelligence is used for real-time communication of data without any external intervention from humans.
The evolution of mobile networks began in the early 90s. However, it was not until recently that wireless connectivity of devices became popular. This has led to a revolution in the communication industry paving way for concepts such as cellular IoT and smart cities. There will be more than 30 billion devices connected in the next few years in global cellular IoT market according to a study conducted by Future Market Insights (FMI).
Industries today are embracing cellular IoT, with numerous sensors connected for monitoring data and analyzing for optimizing production to real-time maintenance in order to increase efficiency. As the benefits of connecting equipment within the production line and with supply chains are becoming popular, demand by industry players is soaring.
The world is looking at digital transformation with technologies such as cellular IoT along with cloud, machine learning, big data, analytics, and deep machine learning. Endless opportunities and possibilities for consumers with new business models are expected as a result of IoT evolution.
Cellular IoT applications are expected to drive digitalization. Machine to machine and machine to person communications are the key to this along with connected software-defined smart products.
IoT Revolution and What it Means for Service Providers
The cellular IoT revolution is bringing huge value with respect to efficiency, sustainability, and safety for all industries. The majority of the enterprises deploying IoT currently are looking forward to adding more cellular IoT applications owing to these features. Furthermore, IoT is playing a crucial role in various sectors by establishing new revenue generation streams and improving the quality of the existing ones with cost savings.
According to experts at FMI, the revenue of internet service providers with respect to IoT is expected to rise exponentially in the near future. A positive shift in the trend is witnessed with a wide array of solutions and applications specifically designed for enterprises and individuals entering the cellular IoT market.
In order to achieve maximum results, IoT applications require businesses to provide a clear value proposition and business logic that is in sync with the existing ecosystem. Also, the platforms on which the solutions need to be integrated need to be scalable to handle millions of devices efficiently. Also, all stakeholders are required to be aligned for the successful deployment of use cases.
Wireless connectivity is the most crucial link in the cellular IoT landscape for each step, starting from the initial phases of deployment to achieving desired results.
Service providers have huge market potential with added value generation opportunities provided by the global cellular IoT market. The potential of the opportunities is directly linked to the involvement of the service providers in the value chain. This gives them the flexibility to choose between being a straightforward service provider or end to end solution provider.
Diversity in Use Cases and Security Implications
Cellular IoT has millions of potential applications. Cellular connectivity is the key to the diversity needed by IoT to serve a wide range of applications, with different requirements. Mobile IoT is playing a crucial role in several important aspects such as connecting sensors to industrial equipment, machines, or factories. This enables a more flexible and advanced way of working.
Technologies such as LTE-M and NB-IoT are best suited for providing reliable connectivity which is both secure and cost-effective. Also, these technologies allow connectivity to machines situated below the ground.
Mobile networks are highly reliable and secure and can offer connectivity to high-density devices. Mobile IoT-enabled devices can also be connected to cloud services which make data collection and analysis efficient. This wireless connectivity also provides great flexibility and cost-effective deployment.
Cellular networks are expected to be able to support critical and low latency communication within factories, with the addition of 5G technology in the next few years.
Cellular IoT security is an important part of the IoT landscape. It is the function of secure communication, application security, and device security. These functions are imperative when it comes to protecting the device, the network, and data ownership. Cryptographic keys and algorithms along with secure communications play a crucial role in the security of cellular IoT devices.
Though 5G cellular IoT has many benefits, the potential threats involved with cybersecurity need to be analyzed. Cybersecurity is very crucial to an enterprise. It is very difficult to make sure security is adequate at every level with millions of devices connected in the infrastructure, with an increase in cybercrimes in recent years, it has become vital to secure the telecom networks.
Conclusion
Increasing demand for 5G technology fits the IoT landscape perfectly. The cellular network evolution of 5G has already begun and IoT technology is expected to embrace it with open arms as most devices we use today require internet connectivity ranging from watches to public transport to smart homes and entertainment systems.
Though it has numerous benefits, as with every other new technology, thorough testing for the reliability of 5G too is needed.
