The proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) comes with countless potential benefits. Baby monitors, smart meters, even the connected car are all made possible by IoT technology.
Indeed, the sheer volume of IoT connected devices is projected to explode in the coming years, surpassing even the number of mobile handsets we use today. All of these devices will need to connect to the network, which presents the question of how mobile operators will be able to manage and monetize their networks in this new era and how they can prepare for it now?
Gartner has estimated that the number of IoT devices will total around 21 billion by 2020, although they have recently revised this prediction slightly, and an Ericsson Mobility Report puts the tipping point as early as 2018. With this in mind, IoT is set to change the game in the telecoms industry. As revenue from calls and data charges continues to decline due to new OTT applications and technologies, mobile operators should be getting ready to take advantage of the opportunities it presents.
Telecoms.com periodically invites opinion from third party experts on subjects addressing the most important areas of today’s industry. In this post, Fintan Lawler, GM EMEA at Interop Technologies looks at the role of cloud computing in the evolution towards 5G and IoT.
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