Cellular technologies powering IoT innovation

According to IoT Analytics, there will be 27.1 billion interconnected devices¹ by 2025, up from 12.2 billion in 2021. And IoT deployments will generate at least US$5.5 trillion in value by 2030², says a separate report by McKinsey.

While much of the earlier conversations around IoT have centred on the consumer devices such as fitness trackers and other gadgets, IoT, with its ability to collect and react to data continuously, can unlock new levels of intelligence as a game changer for businesses.

Sectors that can benefit from IoT include:

Manufacturing – Within the manufacturing sector, connected sensors can continuously collect data for real-time analysis, or IoT-powered actuators on "dumb" machines can enable remote operation. Other possibilities include quality control, supply chain traceability, and improving production efficiency, to name a few.

Smart buildings – IoT sensors and IoT systems integrated with building automation systems offer the data points and control required to make buildings more comfortable and regulate water and energy consumption to be more resource efficient. Hygiene, security, and safety can also be enhanced through IoT.

Automotive – Smart vehicles integrated with IoT devices and connectivity bring greater comfort and safety by monitoring drivers' concentration and vehicle performance. On the roads, IoT can also play a part in increasing road availability by monitoring and directing traffic flow – and ensuring that needed repairs are quickly detected and made.

Industrial IoT devices are increasingly powered by cellular connectivity, as businesses and device makers alike are enticed by mobile networks' versatility and inherent security. This is because mobile networks are designed to support very high levels of reliability and device density and can go live without tedious site surveys or the expense of installing proprietary wireless nodes.

The only requirement is that each mobile-enabled IoT device has an active cellular subscription and a SIM card, which stores the credentials and security keys to identify the subscriber uniquely. Multiple cellular technologies are available, from 2G, 3G, 4G, and the upcoming 5G. However, a recent study by ABI Research into 1,037 IoT modules found that 4G currently represents the majority (60%)³ and is globally available. Low power wide area (LPWA) cellular technologies in the form of NB-IoT and LTE-M – commonly used when battery efficiency is required, also make up another 20%.

With its flexibility and the ability to provide real-time visibility to remote devices, the move to cellular is growing. According to Ericsson, 5 billion IoT devices in 2025⁴ will be connected via cellular access technologies. Moreover, NB-IoT and Cat-M devices continue to be rolled out apace around the world, while older 2G and 3G devices have slowly but surely declined since 2019. Indeed, the number of IoT devices connected by NB-IoT and Cat-M is expected to overtake 2G/3G connected IoT devices in 2023.

Another recent development on the cellular front would be the Embedded SIM (eSIM), a solution created by the GSMA to free consumers and connected devices from the constraints of the traditional SIM card. The presence of the SIM and its role remains unchanged. However, eSIM profiles are securely downloaded into a "Secure Element" in compatible mobile devices, minus the need for a physical SIM card.

For eSIM users, the result is simplified mobile connectivity management, with the ability to manage one's subscription remotely. Besides simplified logistics and reduced costs for massive IoT deployments, eSIMs also open the door to innovative new use cases and accelerated speed to market. On their part, device manufacturers can now make smaller, more rugged devices that are significantly more tolerant of harsh environmental conditions such as high temperatures and strong vibrations.

And eSIM-enabled IoT devices are taking off. According to Thales, the eSIM market is flourishing, with one billion eSIM devices⁵ expected to be deployed for M2M and B2B IoT use cases by 2025. With eSIM devices designed for use cases such as smart metering, smart cities, retail shops, and vehicles, 250 million eSIM devices are projected to ship annually by 2025.

Designed to drive a new generation of services and experiences, Singtel's Multi-Domestic Connectivity solution works with both traditional SIM and eSIM cards. SIMs are managed from a unified portal with centralised monitoring, reporting, and a unified billing process.

Businesses can also sidestep complex international roaming mechanisms and diverse regulatory policies with a single master service agreement across all markets for their IoT deployments. This allows enterprises and device makers to address costly roaming fees or the added overhead of manually localising their deployments.

Finally, an application programming interface (API) offers rapid integration for ease of integration with other enterprise systems – and to support your next innovation. Learn more about Singtel Multi-Domestic Connectivity Solution here.

Sources

¹IoT Analytics, State of IoT 2022: Number of connected IoT devices growing 18% to 14.4 billion globally, May 18, 2022.

²McKinsey, IoT value to accelerate through 2030: Where and how to capture it, November 2021.

³ABI Research, 4G Technology Represent More Than 60% of All IoT Cellular Module Models, January 11, 2022.

⁴Ericsson, How 5G ad the Internet of Things can create a winning business, January 14, 2020

⁵Thales, Leveraging eSIM to address massive IoT deployments, March 17, 2022.