Potential of IoT in the Telecom Industry

By CIOReview | Thursday, May 23, 2019

FREMONT, CA: There is an exponential rise in the adoption of the internet of things (IoT) solutions in every industry owing to the efficiency and safety they provide. For a similar reason, the technology is gaining traction in the telecom sector. Researchers suggest that IoT has tremendous potential to generate $1.8 trillion for mobile network operators. However, to benefit from the several advantages of IoT, the companies must create innovative use cases. Telecom leaders can also adopt business models like backend as a service (BaaS), software as a service (SaaS), and platform as a service (PaaS) to maximize the gains from IoT.

IoT in Telecom Business

Data Analytics

Business leaders are using IoT to develop a pool of data. The information thus generated is used to gain insights on consumer behavior and usage patterns. Business models can also be improved by combining IoT with big data analytics that will even have the capability to predict upcoming trends in Telecom Industry.

Low Power WAN

Telecom companies use GSM and WiFi for machine-to-machine communication. As a result, network technologies require high bandwidth and power. Using IoT requires radio-based, low bandwidth, and less power consuming wide area networks (WAN). Thus, the telecom industry can provide numerous use cases such as IoT sensors can be used in the farms for agriculture using low power WAN.

Location Services

Proximity sensors in smartphones can enhance the location of public transportation services. The sensors can also be installed on the bus and railway station where people can check for the availability of the nearest transport services.

It can also be used to locate people in a crowded place. For example, a person X attends a conference and wishes to trace his co-worker. He can use an app with proximity sensors to locate the co-worker’s position.

Safeguarding the Resources

The vulnerability of remote sites, especially the risk involved with costly equipment and the fuel or battery needed to run them require telecom companies to be extra vigilant. IoT powered smart cameras keeps track of the vulnerable areas while alerting the software in case of an intrusion by an unidentified mobile device.

Safety Hazards

Remote sites are vulnerable to calamities such as fire, floods, or earthquakes. IoT sensors notify the concerned personnel to take immediate measures such as mitigation procedures or shutting down the system.