Going from millions to billions of connections with the Internet of Things (IoT) will see deployments with massive, multi-region footprints. However, each of these connections will need to be managed with capabilities installed, activated and maintained. The challenge here is that traditional connectivity is not sufficiently automated, is inflexible and, often as a result of management complexity, too costly to be used in support of many IoT business cases.
Old connectivity management, therefore, must be reconsidered and approached in new ways so that management pain can be minimized and the costs contained while deployment speed accelerates.
IoT Growth
As the number of IoT devices deployed grows, the management of the connections becomes more and more complex. A washing machine manufacturer, for example, may design its products in Europe, manufacture them in APAC and distribute them globally. It’s expensive to retrofit a SIM card as each device arrives in its new home market. The retrofit options are to install a physical SIM at an import warehouse or retailer or to engage in costly truck roll to the end user’s home to get the machine up and running.
Both these options are counter-productive and require relationships with individual carriers in each market. It could be much simpler if the capability is embedded in the washing machine in the factory. The machine would then have the ability to automatically connect to the most suitable network when it is first turned on and at a fixed cost, ideally for the whole lifetime of the machine.
If this happens, new opportunities are quickly enabled. The washing machine maker can reformulate and enable a new business model. To achieve this, it needs to ensure that the data on the machine’s performance and the number of washes it completes are communicated back to the manufacturer, along with billing and any maintenance data that could enhance the user experience and future iterations of the service.
Selecting a provider who enables this global connectivity capability to be embedded into the device at the factory means the washing machine provider is assured of the connectivity it needs. The benefit is to have accurate visibility and transparency into the costs it will incur in its new connected laundry-as-a-service business.
A washing machine manufacturer shouldn’t have to become a network expert in order to participate in the Internet of Things opportunities. Instead, they should be able to turn to a single service provider who will deliver them effortless connectivity at a fixed price. This means that connectivity no longer becomes a fluctuating factor of the pay-per-wash proposition; the washing machine provider can accurately calculate the likely costs of running the service and therefore price it attractively to users and start building its new business in IoT.
The Fastcomm Advantage
Fastcomm’s business is to build technology platforms that empower its clients to digitally transform their businesses and therefore to understand and address the growing needs of their customers. Our mission is to build long-term technology partnerships that help transform companies, allowing them to concentrate on their core business.
We have a proven track record of understanding disruptive technologies and the effect that they have on businesses. We have built platforms in the IOT and OTT technology domains that allow us to connect people, places and things successfully.
The Fastcomm group of companies has been providing solutions to its partners, since 2002. We have offices in the USA, Europe, and South Africa, allowing us to produce innovative solutions, utilizing know-how and skills acquired worldwide.
Our skilled engineering teams have, over many years, created platforms and building blocks that allow for rapid development and deployment of solutions.