5G, maximised LTE and other forms of low power connectivity are coming to market over the next few years just as the new network reliant business models of the digital ecosystem start to crystallise.
This provides enormous opportunities for operators to reinvent themselves not only as providers of commoditised connectivity but also as providers of services and platforms that underpin this new ecosystem.
IoT, with its massive numbers of devices and connections as well as its huge variety and disparity of applications presents a new multi-billion connection landscape for operators to tap into.
This will not be the same as previous mobile connectivity environments because of the differing traffic profiles of IoT devices. However, the sheer scale of the new market presents a massive opportunity if operators can automate their processes and operations and get the cost base for the network down to a level that supports IoT business models.
Significantly, the new technologies coming to market such as network functions virtualisation, fluid and edge computing, have the capability to support this.
Another innovation is enhanced machine-type communications (eMTC). This provides dedicated machine communications capability that will be vital to the success of Internet of Things connectivity. A new whitepaper, explains them: eMTC – Communications for Massive LTE, available for download here.
To learn more about the leading role cellular communications will play in IoT, you can also download: The Future of Cellular IoT here.
