BICS, an international communications enabler, has joined forces with technology solutions provider, Avnet Silica, to deliver Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), devices and applications.

The collaboration will enable Avnet Silica to directly embed 2G, 3G, 4G, NB-IoT and LTE-M/Cat-M1 connectivity via BICS’ SIM for Things IoT global solution. This is also designed to accelerate the deployment of Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN) by solving many technical, operational and commercial challenges, helping hardware manufacturers deploy new IoT solutions around the world.

Leveraging BICS’ global network and eUICC technology, Avnet Silica’s customers can connect their IoT devices to more than 700 mobile operators around the world, and easily switch networks depending on quality and coverage. “Manufacturers can quickly benefit from NB-IoT/LTE-M technology, which lowers power consumption, eases provisioning, and creates new commercial opportunities,” says Guillaume Crinon, global IoT strategy manager at Avnet.

Cyrille Saulet, solution sales leader and eUICC program manager at Avnet Silica, comments: “Thanks to our work with BICS, we’re able to enhance our offering for OEMs and IoT partners, and ensure our customers can choose the best cellular connectivity requirements for their individual needs virtually anywhere in the world. The addition of LPWAN connectivity such as NB-IoT/LTE-M gives us a complete tool box to accelerate and expand IoT adoption, by being able to design smart and flexible connectivity solutions for our customers’ connected devices.”

Cyrille Saulet

Gartner predicts by the end of this year there will be 5.8 billion enterprise and automotive IoT endpoints, a 21% increase from 2019. BICS and Avnet Silica’s partnership is the next step in facilitating deployment of IoT projects for enterprises, providing instant, secure connectivity for their devices.

“Our work with Avnet Silica demonstrates how BICS’ SIM for Things provides the global connectivity that OEMs and hardware manufacturers need to produce connected devices and solutions in a simple, reliable, flexible and cost effective manner,” explains Mikael Schachne, CMO and VP mobility & IoT at BICS. “Together we have created a future-proof IoT-as-a-service offering, which will make mass IoT a reality in the coming years.”

Additionally, mobile operators can capitalise on the opportunity to provide connectivity to a greater range of devices by opening up their networks to support the surging IoT demand. An increasing number of mobile operators have partnered with BICS to support M2M connectivity, with BICS being able to offer NB-IoT/LTE-M connectivity in more than 30 countries worldwide.

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