IoT refers to the holistic interconnection of services, applications, business processes, people, and devices with a network or Internet in order to share information and perform certain tasks without any human interventions. Publisher identifies M2M services – which are increasingly referred to as industrial IoT (IIoT) – as a subset of the IoT model in which devices communicate with the network without human intervention.

These systems enhance data collection, automation, operations, and decision-making through smart devices and powerful sensor and network technology. Moreover, certain factors such as recent advances in software, falling hardware prices, and more receptive attitudes towards technology are fuelling demand for IoT solutions. The latest advancements in IoT are bringing significant changes in the creation and consumption of products and services. 

Global telecom operators have been investing in IoT services and solutions for business customers for years, initially as relatively unsophisticated ‘M2M’ offerings focused primarily on connectivity. More recently, operators have focused on seizing more of the value chain by offering more comprehensive platforms and services to support their enterprise customers.

While these platforms begin with cellular data connectivity as the ‘table stakes’ requirement, the most advanced operators provide a host of features and services designed to help enterprises build use cases and ROI to support IoT investment, as well as IoT deployment and management services.