We can all agree that the Internet of Things (IoT) is a tremendous opportunity for mobile network operators (MNOs). For many, IoT is also a necessity to achieve return-on-investment (ROI) on the future and current spending on 5G.
However, the IoT business is very different from selling smartphone subscriptions. Mobile operators are local by nature, while IoT product manufacturers are global. Traditional subscriber services are built for a few streamlined customer types, with policies that rarely need to be changed. IoT connectivity services, on the other hand, need to adapt to each enterprise customer’s unique business needs. Many IoT enterprise customers also prefer to be in control of the connectivity via either a comprehensive web GUI and/or API. Add to this security requirements and the need for a unified global IoT connectivity that complies with regulations.
With 5G comes new competitors such as smaller private network vendors. Specialised IoT mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) are more agile and used to handle multiple global partnerships. Mobile operators must act now, adding more agility and value to their IoT services, to avoid an IoT data price race to the bottom.
We believe mobile operators must rethink their IoT deployment strategies. What we suggest is that they leave what they have untouched and add a programmable layer of IoT connectivity control, security and automation hosted at hyperscalers. This will enable fast time-to-market for their enterprise customers with innovative IoT connectivity services. This layer also enables automation of the customer setup that previously was manual. The IoT market, especially in 5G, will develop with many small innovation steps made by enterprises. In this dynamic reality, a hyperscale approach will give mobile operators the agility to both succeed and fail fast, while delivering a global IoT connectivity service that their enterprise customers can manage from portals and/or APIs.
Deliver what enterprise IoT customers need
It can easily become complicated when enterprises try to connect their products globally. They must handle multiple operators, contracts and technical integrations. Enterprises also need to stay on top of the fast-changing regulatory landscape. Which countries prohibit permanent roaming? Which operators have taken a business decision to not allow permanent roaming in their networks?
What IoT enterprise customers need is a service provider that manages these challenges for them. The mobile operator must be able to deliver a secure and global IoT software defined wide area network (SD-WAN), under one contract and with one customer support to turn to. Enterprises need this IoT connectivity service to be unified across country borders with devices keeping the same IP-address, policies and security. The service delivery and control must also be the same whether it goes through roaming or through localisation of eSIMs, which is required in markets where they prohibit roaming for legal or commercial reasons.
To get there, mobile operators must unchain themselves from the strict consideration of 3GPP and the implementation and upgrade cycles of their mobile core nodes. They need to become an innovative hyperscale IoT connectivity provider.
There are four layers needed to deliver such secure IoT SD-WAN for hyperscale IoT connectivity:
- In the first layer, we have the mobile operator’s existing cellular network with its mobile core.
- The second layer is the global network of MNO partners, either in bilateral agreements or through connectivity hubs. IoT devices can instantly be connected using data roaming. In countries where permanent roaming is not possible, mobile operators can localise the embedded SIM/embedded universal integrated circuit card (eSIM/eUICC) over-the-air. With this, they can offer their customers instant local subscriptions in their partner networks globally.
- In the third layer, the mobile operator uses hyperscalers to create a programmable and flexible layer of IoT policy control, security, and automation on a global scale.
But they do not have to build such a hyperscale IoT connectivity control layer themselves. Say hello to the Aptilo IoT Connectivity Control Service (IoT CCS) from Enea. Already live with tier 1 mobile operators and winner of five industry awards, it introduces a new solution category that has never been seen before. Aptilo IoT CCS delivers a hyperscale programmable layer for cellular IoT policy control, security, and automation as a pay-as-you–grow service. It is hosted on Amazon AWS as a unique instance per mobile operator.
The Aptilo IoT CCS incorporates IoT security from Fortinet to protect IoT devices, data traffic, and enterprise applications. This means that the mobile operator can offer managed IoT security with the flexibility to steer selected traffic through enterprise virtual private networks (VPNs) or directly to the internet, while protected by the FortiGate next-generation firewalls.
All networks, the operator’s own and their partners’, connect to this layer through standard interfaces, such as Gi/SGi/N6 and REST for the control plane and IPsec for the data/user plane. With Aptilo IoT CCS, all enterprise IoT customers can also share the same APN while still getting their own private IoT SD-WAN.
In the last, but not least important layer, we find customer selfmanagement portals and the IoT connectivity management platform. Here, the mobile operator can build a web GUI or use APIs to integrate with the third layer and relevant systems to give their customers full control over the service. This setup is crucial for the scalability of the mobile operator’s IoT business. The goal is to make the IoT service as much as possible into a selfplaying piano through automation of activities such as setting up enterprise VPNs. The operator’s own operations team can also use this tool to help customers that do not have the skills to use the self-management capabilities.
By hosting the third layer at hyperscalers, the mobile operator can follow their customers wherever they are and provide the features customers require on a global scale. But a hyperscale connectivity approach is not only relevant for global IoT connectivity. Domestic IoT connectivity also needs the same level of control, security, and automation. For instance, to set up individual virtual private connections (VPN) manually for each enterprise customer is a complex task that typically takes weeks. With Aptilo IoT CCS in place, enterprises can easily create their own virtual private connections in a matter of minutes, using the service provider’s self-management portals.
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