Connectivity has always been at the core of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. Whether tapping a local ethernet connection for Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) monitoring or deploying gateways and backhauling data over a cellular network, connectivity starts the IoT solution journey.
Fortunately, the choices are increasing for connecting the machines and equipment that drive industrial and business processes. Over the last few years, wireless connectivity has seen the most advancement, evolving to offer more choices that are fit-for-purpose in the IoT and providing more flexibility to the IoT solution designer.
These include several of the Low-Power Wide-Area (LPWA) technologies from both the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and proprietary versions. It also includes 5G, which offers options for enterprises to improve connectivity reliability, capacity, and latency all within a single network and technology stack.
Even the tried and true Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technologies have evolved from being purely consumer-focused to enterprise-ready. The IoT market has evolved to a new stage of advanced connectivity combined with more network choice.
But enterprises need to think carefully about their choices. It is not just choosing the technology that best suits the needs of the application. It also includes understanding the services for managing that connectivity, as well as other services layered on top, such as device management and security services.
Connectivity choice also needs to consider the device life cycle from commissioning and onboarding devices, as well as reverse logistics services with more and more devices having multiple uses and stakeholders.
Technologies Providing Advanced Connectivity for Building Smart Industrial Products
LPWA:
LPWA technologies are a class of connectivity technologies that have been designed for serving the IoT market where low data rates and infrequent transmissions are common. This includes many traditional IoT segments of meters, vending, and tank monitoring. But this also includes the asset tracking market, such as pallet and parcel sharing, which is forecast to reach billions of connections.
There is no formal definition of LPWA according to data rates, but LPWA is generally considered to have data capacity similar to 2G and lower. For this discussion of advanced connectivity, three LPWA technologies are highlighted for their importance to IoT.
1) Cat M/NB-IoT: Cat M and Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) are standards within 3GPP specifications operating on licensed spectrum. Cat M is the higher data rate technology providing peak rates of 1.4 Megabits per Second (Mbps). It is considered a better technology for monitoring and asset tracking applications that send more data either from sensor readings or from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data points with real-time tracking.
NB-IoT’s peak data rates are about 1/20 of Cat M peak rates. Cellular modules of this technology are about half the cost of Cat M modules and will maintain that price advantage for the foreseeable future. Devices with NB-IoT technology have a longer battery life than Cat M devices if the data transmissions are small packet sizes and infrequent.
Deployed by mobile operators, these technologies offer lower power consumption for improved battery life through longer paging cycles for receiving network data, as well as longer device sleep cycles before transmitting data to the network. Both standards have a higher broadband version of M2 and NB2, which provide at least triple the data rates of M1 and NB1.
2) Proprietary LPWA: This class of LPWA is led by LoRa and Sigfox, but also includes a long list of other companies, such as Sensus, Microchip, Silicon Labs, Kerlink, etc. The latter group generally finds the most adoption in the metering segments. Both LoRa and Sigfox have low link budgets, enabling broad coverage and good in-building penetration compared to 2G and 3G technologies.
LoRa is proprietary only because there is one firm, Semtech, that owns the Intellectual Property (IP), which it monetises through the sale of chipsets. The rest of the ecosystem uses LoRa technology to build end points and gateways. LoRa networks can be deployed to cover local areas or be built to cover large areas, such as a municipality or city. Sigfox is a network operator of its version of LPWA and is supported by an ecosystem of device vendors. It offers some of the lowest data rates and generally is considered to have some of the least expensive devices in the LPWA category. Proprietary LPWA technologies usually operate using unlicensed spectrum in the 2.4 Gigahertz (GHz) range.
3) Cat 1bis: Cat 1 technology is technically not considered an LPWA technology, as its peak throughput is 10 Mbps. However, its capacity is far less than Cat 3, which has a downlink of 150 Mbps. From a performance perspective, it has always had interest for applications that want more than LPWA throughputs, but do not need a Cat 3 pipe, including use cases in security, industrial monitoring, and as backhaul for IoT gateways. However, the pricing was never quite low enough when considering the performance trade-offs with 2G.
These drawbacks are about to change and was witnessed in 2019 when worldwide Cat 1 cellular module shipments jumped nearly 2X over 2018. The reason is that China module vendors began to offer Cat 1bis products as a replacement for 2G in China. Cat 1bis is the single antenna version of the Long Term Evolution (LTE) specification, making it less costly. Some module vendors were offering it for ½ the price of Cat 1 modules with two antennas.
The significance of Cat 1bis is that the volumes it can drive will help bring down costs and promote adoption of both single and double antenna devices. In addition, Cat 1 devices can use the same battery-saving features as Cat M and NB-IoT, making it a price-optimised version for supporting higher-performance use cases not suitable for LPWA technologies.
5G:
5G is raising the bar for connectivity choice because a single technology can enable connectivity for applications requiring low-power access, low latency, or high bandwidth. As a relatively new specification, only the high bandwidth version of 5G, Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), is available today, offering peak data rates of 1 Gigabits per Second (Gbps). By 2023, 5G networks and devices will be available for low latency connections, Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC).
Depending on the network type, latency targets are about 50 Milliseconds (ms) over public networks and 10 ms when deployed in local area environments. The most recent 3GPP release specifies that the low power variant, Enhanced Machine Type Communication (eMTC), will use the Cat M and NB-IoT specifications enabled on a broader range of spectrum bands.
Private network deployments will become more common when devices and networks can support the low latency use cases with manufacturing environments being a top use case. In private network settings, the full power of 5G will be most obvious as applications with varied throughput and performance needs can all be carried on the same spectrum and delivered using the same network technology.
5G will also offer more options for network-based location services with specifications aiming for 3-meter accuracy outdoors and up to 0.2-meter accuracy indoors.
BT5/WI-FI 6:
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi have both made significant advances in their specifications to drive more use in the IoT, particularly in industrial environments. Bluetooth 5’s (BT5) improvements are reflected in Bluetooth 5.2, which was standardised in December 2019, increasing throughput to 2 Mbps and extending its range to 1,000 meters. Location features have also been improved, as well as the addition of mesh networking.
The value of these improvements is the flexibility for serving markets where coverage and throughput needs will vary, such as sensor environments where, in some cases, data capacity will be more important, while in other environments, range and massive connections will be more important.
Wi-Fi 6 has a marked improvement in capabilities that will drive more adoption into the industrial and product Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) domains. Wi-Fi 6 uses Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) for signal modulation, which will greatly reduce interference issues and significantly improve throughput and range.
But even more important is that Wi-Fi 6 can operate in the 6 GHz band, which has seven available 160 Megahertz (MHz) channels. This is called Wi-Fi 6E and was introduced because more countries are opening the 6 GHz spectrum band for Wi-Fi use.
Adding another band for Wi-Fi is expected to help reduce crowding in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, which in turn, when combined with Wi-Fi 6 radios enable higher throughputs and range in the lower Wi-Fi bands.
Some trials of Wi-Fi 6 in manufacturing settings show 700 Mbps in the 5 GHz band over an 80 MHz channel. It is expected that over a 160 MHz channel, throughputs will increase to greater than 2 Gbps!
Network Choice: Private versus Public:
Traditionally, networks for IoT connectivity either were available from public cellular networks or private wireless networks based on Wi-Fi or 802.15.4 mesh technologies. However, more availability of spectrum and private network operators, as well as a well- developed LoRa ecosystem, are providing new options for deploying enterprise private networks using wide area technologies.
Spectrum access is coming from private spectrum owners that have purchased spectrum at auctions and either leased it to an operator of private networks or combined it with their own network equipment and services. Another source of spectrum has become available in the United States called the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS).
This spectrum spans the 3.5-3.65 GHz band and is available for free for general access, or for a fee for priority access for a fixed time period. This spectrum is leased regionally, giving enterprises options for its use.
Private cellular network operators come in two flavours. The first provide private 4G networks and eventually will be providing 5G private networks. The second are proprietary LPWA network operators typically serving the utilities segment.
LoRa is giving enterprise even more choice for private network wide area access. Because LoRa operates on unlicensed spectrum, any enterprise can purchase gateways to build their own network.
SIM 2.0: eSIM/iSIM:
Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) technology provides the software and infrastructure that allows devices to connect to cellular networks based on operator credentials and user preferences. Traditionally, SIM technology has been delivered using a physical card inserted in a device and owned by a single operator.
Two technologies are changing these boundaries. The first is Embedded SIM (eSIM), which allows changing network access profiles based on customer preferences. With this technology, the operator that originally was the primary network operator can be switched to another pending contractual obligations at any point in the connected device life cycle.
The second is Integrated SIM (iSIM) which integrates SIM functionality into the device’s chip architecture, thereby eliminating the need for a physical SIM. The technology will provide efficiencies in the logistics of device deployments and returns because the physical SIM is not part of the provisioning process. iSIM will also reduce the size and Bill of Materials (BOM) for connected devices and lower power consumption as well as enhance security.
Challenges for Tapping the Potential of Advanced Connectivity Technologies
The advanced connectivity technologies outlined above hold great potential for taking IoT adoption to the next level. However, many of these technologies are still young on a number of levels, yielding challenges for implementers.
MNO Readiness: Network Availability and Coverage:
One of the biggest challenges today with many of the newest connectivity technologies is that network coverage is still not extensive enough. IoT implementers have grown accustomed to 2G, 3G, and, to some extent, 4G networks, which have the most global coverage and developed networks in urban and suburban settings. In addition, global roaming relationships are well established.
Both proprietary and 3GPP LPWA networks do not have the same coverage globally as 2G, although some of the more developed countries have decent regional coverage. The other issue is that roaming relationships for 3GPP LPWA technologies are less prevalent; for LoRa networks, roaming is still in the specification phase. Sigfox is the only LPWA technology for which roaming is not an issue, but it offers far less coverage compared to its 3GPP cousins.
This lack of global coverage and roaming relationships is a deterrent to enterprises that see value in these technologies, but are waiting for more development. Beyond the impact on slowed enterprise adoption, lack of coverage also causes less investment in these technologies by device OEMs.
5G networks do not have the roaming issues, as smartphone use of the technology precludes this issue. But 5G networks are in different states of deploying coverage and core network features are important to enable the full breadth of its capabilities.
With networks in different states of deployment, enterprises are forced to make decisions on device capabilities, network choice, and speed of rollout. For instance, Cat M is a very desirable technology for creating small-footprint, battery-operated devices. However, with coverage not available globally and even regionally, such as in Europe, enterprises are deploying Cat M/2G devices to ensure global coverage.
The impact on the application of a multi-mode device is higher device cost and less battery life. These factors may then change the business case for deployment and fees for a service plan for connecting the device. If the device only uses Cat M, the overall ROI would be much higher.
Device Certification:
Regardless of wireless technologies, devices need to be certified, specifying they meet certain requirements. Short-range wireless technologies are the easiest to certify requiring Underwriter Laboratories (UL) compliance and, ideally, approval by standards organisations like the Bluetooth SIG or the Wi-Fi Alliance.
Devices that connect to 3GPP cellular networks have the most stringent certifications because they need to be certified by the network operator and these certifications are different not only by operator, but also potentially by region.
Compared to 10 years ago, the cellular device certification process has improved, particularly with the North American operators, reducing the time and requirements for OEM device approval. However, that does not mean that a submitted device will be approved quickly. Smartphone suppliers are typically always given preferential treatment in the approval process.
In addition, if the IoT device is built from a chip instead of a module, the certification process takes longer. For smaller device OEMs, the money spent to manage the Mobile Network Operator (MNO) certification process can greatly impact profitability.
Private Networks versus Public Networks:
Public cellular networks have been the primary option for enterprise access to cellular technologies. Generally, they have fulfilled the needs of enterprises in the IoT domain. However, the primary issue with public cellular networks is they historically have been designed for consumer use — effectively smartphone access—so network availability for IoT applications may not be as high, depending on location and time of day. While Cat M and NB-IoT technologies will find the most adoption for enterprise IoT applications, they are still using the same spectrum as those used for smartphones.
Private wireless networks for enterprises typically involve Wi-Fi and 802.15.4 mesh technologies and mostly are used indoors or in campus environments, providing indoor and local area outdoor coverage. The advent of proprietary LPWA technologies changed the traditional thinking around private network access in two ways.
First, unlike traditional cellular networks, LPWA proprietary networks do not require the purchase of or permissioned access to spectrum. Second, these networks were far less expensive, offered wide area coverage, and could be designed and deployed by the enterprise, similar to Wi-Fi networks.
Spurred by proprietary networks, 4G networks became available for private network access due to more availability of spectrum. While more expensive than proprietary LPWA networks, 4G private networks offer far more capacity. 4G private networks also are far less likely to experience overcrowding because the spectrum is licensed, which can be an important consideration for connected operations in manufacturing or energy sectors.
5G technologies will give enterprises even more options for designing networks tailored to the needs of their specific applications.
Private networks are not for everyone. There are network costs for both equipment and management. They also require either becoming a network specialist or relying on private network providers.
5G Services Options:
The enormous capabilities of 5G also comes with challenges. Latency benefits will be highly dependent on the network operator deployment of both a 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) and core. Some operators have only deployed their RAN with network coverage still far less than 4G. In addition, declarations of latency capabilities will vary and will need testing and verification. Private networks will offer more certainty in latency capabilities, but private networks require large investments both in infrastructure costs and personnel for management.
The other variable that 5G networks have is the spectrum used. Mobile operators are refarming spectrum from 2G and 3G, meaning that more attention is needed on device specifications to ensure connections on a particular operator network.
Mobile operators are also using new spectrum bands, mainly around 3.5 GHz, but with options to go higher. These higher bands are great for data capacity, but also do not have the range for coverage of the lower spectrum bands. Network deployment timelines, spectrum band access, and application requirements must be clearly understood before investing in 5G.
SIM Choice:
The primary challenge for eSIM use by enterprises is the carrier’s unwillingness to fully support it in IoT applications. This is interesting, as eSIM technology is integrated into the latest smartphones and fully supported by operators, a requirement first driven by Apple. Nearly all mobile operators worldwide have the infrastructure and supplier partnerships in place to support eSIM use in IoT; however, they have chosen to not share eSIM credentials for use by supplier partners, such as Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) or for use by the enterprise itself. Only in the auto industry have operators been forced to fully support eSIM.
Operator reluctance to offer eSIM functionality more broadly is unfortunate as the asset tracking industry is forecast to grow to billions of connections, the majority riding on Cat M and NB-IoT networks. This could be a huge revenue stream for mobile operators, depending on how they choose to offer services. eSIM will allow enterprises to choose operator access that best serves their cost, coverage, and network quality needs. Without eSIM, device and service offering innovation will be stifled, limiting enterprise choice and, therefore, overall adoption.
Choosing Services Providers for Maximising the Advanced Connectivity Opportunity
Enterprises and device OEMs need to think carefully about choice of service providers, given the challenges just discussed. The following section outlines the key criteria for assessing service providers to maximise the benefits of advanced connectivity for IoT solutions.
Operator Agnostic: Avoiding Operator Lock-in:
For wide-area cellular technologies, enterprises will need to work with MNOs, but the supplier options for accessing cellular networks have changed. Today, there are more MVNOs catering to the needs of the IoT domain. While MVNOs lease access to MNO RANs, the MVNO will typically have its own core network components that allow more control over network services offered.
The MVNO’s core network components also enable establishing MNO relationships, so MVNO customer data traffic is not designated as roaming traffic. Roaming traffic can be restricted by the serving MNO if it deems it detrimental to serving its own customers.
Given these choices for Wide-Area Network (WAN) access, enterprises can choose their operator suppliers based on the cellular technologies they support, other network services, and global coverage needs. But a key consideration needs to be restrictions for network access. Depending on the IoT application, network quality of service may be an important requirement. Examples include valve monitoring a gas utility line or industrial pump monitoring for waste water control.
Enterprises choosing network operators need to understand capabilities in two areas. The first is in what geographic regions will the operator not have network coverage or relationships with local network operators, causing data transmissions to be labeled as roaming.
Second, does the operator support eSIM technology to enable switching to another cellular network to ensure cost-effective, highly-reliable network connections. MNOs have been reluctant to support this technology for IoT applications because of a fear that it will encourage network switching when contracts expire.
For enterprises, eSIM provides choice, but also forces network operators to deliver on Quality of Service (QoS) and coverage.
Understanding the restrictions on network access, particularly around operator use of eSIM technology will become a bigger issue for enterprises, particularly in the connected product domain where OEM application needs will increasingly require guarantees on QoS. This is an area where MVNOs can play an important role in the IoT market. Accessibility to multiple operators in different regions allows tailoring access to the needs of the application.
Borderless, Out-of-the-Box Connectivity:
Industrial OEMs and connected product suppliers increasingly want their products to connect anywhere in the world. Cellular technologies offer the best option for enabling “borderless connectivity.”
But application needs and mobility of the product need to be assessed, which will dictate choice of device connectivity options for network capabilities, such as data throughput needs, and for coverage that can extend to the specific location of a connected product, such as inside buildings or in more remote locations.
This is where eSIM support by the network operator can again play an important role in providing not only borderless connectivity, but also connectivity that just works “out-of- the-box.” Connected product OEMs can be assured that regardless of the global location, network connectivity is available because the SIM profile can be updated remotely to access the local network operator.
Connectivity Management:
Connectivity management is a core IoT solution component for cellular connected products. Its primary functions include monitoring cellular network activity to detect abnormal behaviour and rules-based suspension/activation/deactivation.
Another important service is device activation and deactivation based on device behaviour, but also stage of device life cycle, such as testing new devices or deactivating retired ones. Finally, connection management services provide a single portal for managing subscriptions. As device use and activity can change, adjustments to plans to right-size pricing or adding more data are necessary.
Connectivity management is playing an increasingly important role for the IoT for several reasons. First, the types of devices in the enterprise arsenal of connected things will become more varied when using different network types. This will include high- bandwidth connections for connected digital signage and low-bandwidth connections on LPWA networks.
Plan types will be very different for serving low- and high-bandwidth connections. Second, eSIM-capable connections will use the connection management platform to change SIM profiles Over-the-Air (OTA).
When choosing connectivity management providers, network operators have their own platforms, but there are also third-party suppliers. The latter group enables aggregating the connections of multiple operators within a single dashboard, as well as execution of carrier switching for eSIM-enabled connections.
Device Management:
Device management services are critical to the life cycle of an IoT solution, as they enable updating connected devices with software OTA. Software updates are required to correct bugs, improve device capabilities, or add new application functionality. Device management services are also used to deliver and maintain certificates/tokens for secure communications.
The final important set of features available through device management services is managing on-device data storage and transmission, as well as providing other monitoring services, such as device online/offline, battery status, and health/ operational status.
In the future, device management will become even more important for two reasons. First, device management functions will enable device software updates that can tap 5G’s network capabilities, such as variable packet sizes for application and network-defined data throughput; rules for network access based on quality, latency, and throughput; and radio software updates based on 5G network capabilities.
Second, device management services will be used to activate and deactivate physical device features, even down to the chipset level, such as GNSS or Voice over LTE (VoLTE). The granularity of hardware feature control portends new business models, such as Hardware-as-a-Service, all enabled through device management services.
Service providers for device management services are widely available for IoT gateways. However, device management services for a broad swath of devices covering all of the IoT is very dependent on the suppliers and the markets they serve. While support for oneM2M is a good thing, the most capable device management suppliers will have a large portfolio of approved devices for management.
In addition, device management suppliers with development toolsets to build the device software agents demonstrate extensive capabilities in the device management arena.
Secure Connections:
Security within an IoT solution includes security on the device and through the network. For cellular devices, device-side security is partly addressed using SIM technology, which provides encrypted memory for user credentials and applications. But device- side security can also be addressed using Hardware Security Modules (HSMs), such as Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs) and Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs). Within the IoT domain, HSM technologies are still relatively new, but growing in adoption, depending on the vertical market.
Certificates are an important part of IoT solution security, enabling verification that a user/ application is allowed to exchange data with a device. More and more device management platforms are including certificate management in their portfolio of services.
Service providers can play a critical role in IoT solution design choices to address when and how security is incorporated. First, they can provide input on choosing the appropriate connectivity hardware to ensure proper endpoint security.
Second, they can either recommend a supplier for deployment of certificate/token-based authentication services or provide it themselves through a device management solution. Finally, some service providers offer end-to-end security solutions that incorporate device and network security capabilities from monitoring SIM card tampering and anomalous network traffic to providing private network solutions and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
IoT Managed Services:
IoT managed services are outsourced services typically to manage the life cycle of devices and IoT infrastructure usage, such as cloud services. Device life cycle management services are most important for realising the benefits of advanced connectivity in the IoT domain. These can include all the forward and reverse logistic activities, such kitting and staging devices, as well as handling returns and warranty management.
Connectivity management and device management services can also be outsourced. Overall, these services will become more important to both enterprises and suppliers of IoT solutions as the total number of devices in the ecosystem grows into the tens of billions.
Choosing IoT managed service providers is highly dependent on the enterprise’s preferences and the overall capabilities. However, the most complexity and the biggest challenge for life cycle management are the forward and reverse logistics need, as enterprise IoT solutions can be served by multiple device suppliers, each with different software and support requirements. Preferred service providers would have a low or no minimum number of devices for management.
This is important, as most IoT implementations start small and scale gradually. Second, suppliers with fewer limits on the breadth of devices they will manage is preferred. Some IoT managed services suppliers will only manage certain types and brands of devices.
Beyond this, any additional services, such as device and connectivity management services, offered are a plus and allow sole sourcing to reduce IoT supplier complexity.
Advanced Connectivity Benefits When Properly Enabled
Service providers will play a critical role in enabling IoT solutions from network access through a range of supporting services. Implementing advanced connectivity through proper vetting of service providers will provide the following benefits.
Maximising Access to Advanced Networks and Devices Availability:
Implementing advanced connectivity may come in stages, which can vary over time as network access and features become available. Service providers can ensure that IoT solutions are architected to tap different connectivity technologies as they become available and over the life cycle of the solution across the public and private network domains.
Service providers can also assist in selecting connectivity hardware offered by hundreds of suppliers, which varies from embedded connectivity and gateways to application-specific devices. In the LPWA market alone, choices in hardware are particularly immense, as more and more inexpensive hardware is becoming available for monitoring and location.
Overall, service providers can ensure that IoT solutions are architected to tap the full capabilities of advanced connectivity technologies as they become available using devices that maximise the performance and ROI of the solution.
eSIM: Tapping Network Choice over Solution Life Cycle:
eSIM is the feature that will allow enterprises to fully realise the benefits of advanced connectivity. With eSIM, enterprises are given the choice to switch MNOs to ensure connection quality and that network access is available for all of its assets, regardless of the global location.
But not all MNOs are supporting eSIM for IoT applications, so understanding carrier preferences for eSIM is important. In this area, MVNOs can play an important role not only for architecting services to tap eSIM-enabled networks, but also with advisory services for mapping solution development to MNO eSIM plans.
Operational Management Flexibility:
Operational management of IoT solutions requires services in connectivity management, device management, and device and network security. The best service providers will be able to offer all three core operations management services or can advise on the right supplier partners to optimise advanced connectivity. Effectively using the right service providers offers the flexibility to choose the services and suppliers that meet the life cycle management needs of the enterprise.
Scaling Cost Effectively:
As connections reach into the billions, proper attention to device life cycle management that covers all services, from onboarding and operations management to retirement and recycle, will become critical so IoT solutions scale cost effectively. Service providers with a breadth of capabilities provide an important option for accessing all services for IoT support operations, particularly in specific IoT application segments.
Summary
Advanced connectivity technologies in the wireless domain are offering enterprises new ways to architect IoT solutions to better serve customers and build new products and services. LPWA technologies are enabling a long tail of monitoring and tracking solutions by lowering network and services costs.
5G is changing the value of networks for IoT solution enablement, allowing applications of various requirements to leverage a single network and technology stack. Private network offerings are becoming more available through greater spectrum access and technology advances both in wide area technologies and in the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi short-range wireless technologies.
Service providers will play a critical role in supporting the development of IoT solutions that can benefit from advanced connectivity technologies. Both MNOs and MVNOs can enable access to networks and the devices for the latest wireless technologies. They can also provide services necessary to cost-effectively manage and scale IoT solutions in important areas of connectivity and device management, as well as security.
An important technology that will ensure enterprises have access to the most reliable networks is eSIM. Unfortunately, MNOs have not made this technology as accessible for IoT solutions, as they are now doing for smartphone services. This situation underscores the importance of understanding the service providers that will support it and when it will be available.
Service providers are more important now than ever before, as the networks and devices of advanced connectivity technologies grow in accessibility and capabilities.
By choosing the right service provider, enterprises can enjoy the full capabilities of advanced connectivity through solution designs that can tap networks as needed; leverage eSIM where appropriate; and be supported by core operational services of connectivity and device management, along with the right security services.
Dan Shev is the Vice President, Enabling Platforms at ABI Research.
This paper was adapted from a longer report from ABI Research. The second part of this IoT paper will assess the key challenges faced by enterprises seeking advanced connectivity technologies and explores how a service provider choice can maximise their benefits.
