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IoT Infrastructure
Everyone is buzzing over IoT, to the point that I'm starting to get a little nervous. Not that I'm not excited about the prospects here, but this one three-letter acronym seems to define about 10,000 different applications, all of which will have different transmission requirements.
Most of the successful IoT applications to this point are connecting specially designed endpoints like we see in GM's OnStar or Progressive Insurance's Snapshot, or simply make use of the customer's smartphone like Google Maps and Waze. About the only area where we've seen some adherence to standards allowing system interoperability are automatic toll collection systems using active RFID technology.
Recognizing that the transmission needs for these devices will vary from high-bandwidth 24x7 video streaming, to 50 characters of monitoring data sent twice a day, to short messages sent once a week, the wireless industry is spinning up any number of new wireless protocols. Some are offshoots of existing solutions like 5G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, while others are coming out of left field. Knowing what options your carriers are planning could go a long way toward ensuring the success of your IoT initiatives.
Mobile E911
While not uniquely an enterprise issue, the accuracy of mobile E911 location capability is a major concern for employee safety. This is particularly important given that some 70% of 911 calls are now made from mobile devices, according to data from the Federal Communications Commission. The joke going around the mobile business is that if you get in trouble you're better off ordering an Uber than dialing 911!
The FCC has proposed new location accuracy for mobile phones, but these still fall far short of what consumers can get from Google Maps, Waze, and any number of readily available consumer apps. The FCC's current location requirements for wireless E911 date from February 2015 and address both horizontal and vertical location accuracy.
One company, RapidSOS, is pitching a solution that incorporates the same technologies as those successful consumer services that would be tied to the PSAP systems offered by the likes of Motorola Solutions (see my related post, "RapidSOS Fires Up New Idea for Wireless E911"). This is one area that any enterprise customer with any leverage at all should be holding mobile operators' feet to the fire.
Conclusion
This is only a sampling of the topics I talk about with enterprise clients negotiating contracts with mobile operators. In the normal course of business, few users ask to change their mobile operators, and when they do the decision typically rests on poor coverage in the areas they live, work, or visit.
However, if enterprises are truly considering IoT-inspired applications for specific use cases or as part of larger digital transformation initiatives, it's time to start getting more serious about how they select their mobile operators.
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@dBrnWireless
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