From M2M to IoT:
Learning from the leaders

Some CSPs, particularly those with a commercialized M2M strategy, have a head start in the IoT market and serve as good examples for review.

AT&T

AT&T is leveraging its global M2M network to bring IoT to new industries. AT&T uses its global SIM and its M2M platform, which securely connects, organizes, stores and sends data to applications, and turns to partners for the big data analysis and asset management. In February, AT&T partnered with IBM in order to rapidly scale up and support IoT solutions in a cost-effective manner. IBM brings its Intelligent Operations Center, Maximo Asset Management, its advanced analytics capabilities, and IBM MessageSight MQTT Appliance to the IoT solutions. The two companies are currently focusing on solutions for cities and utilities. In the case of connected cities, for example, city planners can improve traffic management, parking capacity, and emergency response coordination based on the movement of people and their devices.

AT&T is simultaneously moving ahead in the connected home vertical with its Digital Life solutions. In April, AT&T celebrated the first anniversary of Digital Life, which is now available in 75 markets. Digital Life is a home security and automation solution that is connectivity agnostic--that is, customers can use the service over any wireless provider and any broadband provider. The platform enables customers to control locks, security cameras, thermostats, lighting, and appliances via a web browser or mobile app. Digital Life is flexible and offers several pricing and service tiers to accommodate users' lifestyles and preferences.

Kevin Petersen, President, AT&T Digital Life, attributes the success of Digital Life to a customer-centric design. “We built our service around the customer, with ease-of-use as paramount as security and the customer response we’re getting is outstanding,” said Petersen.

There are other factors at play as well. Recent research published by Parks Associates indicates that most broadband households are interested in smart home service bundles. AT&T now offers Digital Life with no upfront equipment or installation costs, which makes the decision a little easier for cost-conscious homeowners.

Deutsche Telekom

Like other CSPs, Deutsche Telekom’s push into IoT is driven by its M2M business. The company is highly active in M2M, with solutions that stretch across nine industry verticals. DT has an active M2M partner network, and is also a member of the Global M2M Association (GMA), alongside fellow service providers Orange, Telecom Italia, Bell Mobility, Softbank, and TeliaSonera. The GMA is an international partnership designed to accelerate seamless connected experiences and enhance interoperability.

Thomas Kiessling, Chief Product and Innovation Officer (CPIO), Deutsche Telekom, emphasizes the importance of security and data privacy, as well as the necessity for IpV6.  “The introduction of the new IPv6 Internet protocol makes this development possible,” said Kiessling. “The new system makes 340 sextillion IP addresses available, which makes hundreds of millions of unique addresses available to every single person. This opens up a world of possibilities for new applications and innovations, but also presents new challenges for data privacy, which we must keep in mind.”

SK Telecom

SK Telecom is flexing the capabilities of its robust LTE and LTE-Advanced mobile networks to roll out new services across six areas:  home, entertainment, driving, fashion, media, and shopping. SKT recently signed a cooperative agreement with LG Hitachi and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) and it introduced T Car, a solution that enables its users to remotely control their automobiles. The company also expects its enterprise solutions business to grow more rapidly, and is focusing on asset management, agriculture, and smart car verticals.

At Mobile World Congress, SKT debuted a nifty personal safety device called the Smart Green Button, which can send emergency calls and location information to pre-designated guardians with the push of a button. The 35-dollar, Bluetooth-enabled button works on any Korean carrier network, and requires its users to pay a monthly service fee of 1,500 KRW, or about $1.50 per month.

Besides boasting one of the fastest mobile networks on the planet, SK Telecom has another important tool in place for the IoT revolution: IPv6. The company has recently enabled the use of IPv6 across its entire LTE network, which will accommodate the millions of new IP addresses coming online each month and make two-way communications between objects more efficient and secure.