Kevin Ashton is an innovator and consumer sensor expert who coined the phrase “the Internet of Things” to describe the network connecting objects in the physical world to the Internet. Years later, the digital shift that Ashton imagined is well underway. Organizations are using the IoT to glean new operational insights, grow revenues, reduce costs, and increase productivity.
Have you realized that communication service providers using this opportunity to monetize and generate new revenue streams
Vodafone has been evolving beyond connectivity for many years, continuing to develop IoT ‘products’ that bundle connectivity with hardware and software. The acquisition of Italian connected car specialist Cobra in 2014 has enabled Vodafone to provide end-to-end solutions for both embedded and aftermarket automotive opportunities in 41 markets. Vodafone Automotive offers end to end solutions, including telematics and electronics, through two business units that combine their expertise in delivering vehicle centric telematic platform and related services as well as state of the art electronic systems and components.
Orange has a number of key benefits in offering IoT services: it has its own IoT service delivery and application enablement platforms; offers widespread network coverage across fixed, cellular, and local access technologies (and is building a LoRa-based LPWAN network in France); has a BU (Orange Mobile Enterprise) dedicated to mobile and IoT connectivity solutions for MNCs (in addition to local enterprise solutions from Orange operating companies); has experience in many vertical industries; and also has a BU, Orange Applications for Business (OAB), dedicated to application development
Telefónica is increasingly offering value-added services and will provide end-to-end integration for many customers, especially in transport, utilities, energy, industrial, retail and smart city verticals. Telefónica and its M2M World Alliance partners KPN, NTT DoCoMo, Rogers, SingTel, Telstra, VIMPELCOM, Telenor and Etisalat enhance each other’s footprints for global deals. Telefónica also has an alliance with China Unicom for IoT footprint expansion into Asia-Pacific. Telefónica views its investment in the Sigfox platform and trials with other LPWAN providers as a strategic part of its future IoT opportunity, because the technology is complementary and can bring down the cost of delivering services such as water metering and asset tracking. Data analytics services, leveraging the operator’s Smart Steps analytics platform, are starting to expand to IoT.
Verizon announces new functionality and traction stats for its ThingSpace IoT platform, also noting progress with its IoT chipset and network enhancement plans. In addition the carrier announced a new OTT security offer for developers, Secure Credentialing.
As IoT deployments increase in both number and scope, one concern rises to the top of the CEO’s agenda: security. Even though these organizations plan to invest in IoT security, they may have some catching up to do. At many organizations, IoT devices are being deployed without proper security measures. This shortcoming is in part because many vehicles, shop-floor equipment, and other increasingly IoT-enabled devices were not built with Internet connectivity — or the requisite security — in mind
AT&T recommends to Implement security measures for in-depth defense. Because every device is different, each must be secured with a multi-layered approach. These recommendations are:
- Embed security across four layers: endpoint, network, data and application, and threat management.
- Protect at the physical and media layer of the network.
- Determine the extent of required security in edge devices and the impact over time.
- Protect the network to overcome challenges in protecting applications.
- Incorporate a cloud strategy and security posture.
- Maintain security integrity over the entire product life cycle.
- Apply the right security technology to each potential threat and the evolution of that threat.
Whats makes very clear here is – Organizations are ready to monetize these ‘things’ regardless of vertical industry. This helps communications industry to survive for another decade while competing with the ‘technology’ players.
future of cybersecurity 