Navigating the IoT with Connectivity Solutions

Overview

It has been witnessed that Internet of Things (IoT) devices have changed over the past several years from being a testbed technology for innovative use cases to a key enabler of product upgrades, operational advancement, and customer satisfaction. A variety of business, technical and ecosystem-related needs are involved in many IoT use cases. As enablers of end-to-end IoT solutions, businesses must consequently take into consideration suitable connectivity technologies. While new cellular and proprietary Low-Power Wide-Area (LPWA) technologies have been created expressly for IoT applications, traditional cellular technologies, which primarily target consumer use cases, have expanded to 5G. Thus, the new landscape of IoT connectivity technologies may address a whole new level of complexity and scale of IoT use cases.

However, the technological needs of each use case determine which networking technology is most suitable for certain use cases. These technological requirements are categorized into three groups such as technical, commercial, and ecosystem-related, offering organizations a structured method to examine their specific requirements. Technical requirement includes coverage, data rate, and energy efficiency and other features specifically for the applications such as positioning, density, mobility, and density. Commercial requirement incorporates security, reliability, total cost of ownership (TCO) and scalability. Ecosystem requirements cover global reach, interoperability, and future-profess.

Figure 1: Requirements While selecting Internet of Things (IoT) Connectivity Technology

Technical Requirements  

• Coverage: Long-range technology can link devices dispersed over a large area. In most urban settings, traditional cellular technologies such as 3G or 4G are a good example of a wide-area solution with an excellent outside device radio range. LPWA technologies extend the connectivity range with more reliable coding techniques, making them excellent for reaching remote locations and penetrating densely populated regions. Many gadgets installed nearby can be connected using short-range technologies, namely ZigBee and Wi-Fi.
• Energy Efficiency: The lifetime or maintenance cycle of Internet of Things devices that rely on batteries or energy harvesting are significantly impacted by a connectivity technologies energy efficiency, which is influenced by its range, complexity, and topology. Adding to this, any device's energy utilization relies upon the application's utilization, including the duration and frequency of transmitting a message. ZigBee, a short-range technology that allows sharing messages from one device to another over numerous hops, depends on mesh. Although ZigBee can expand its range, batteries may drain more quickly as each device needs to be prepared to transfer messages. Longer battery life is made possible by LPWA technologies like NB-IoT, which further minimizes the energy usage by simplifying the signaling protocol and by reducing the overhead. Wide area technology, namely 2G, depends on star topology and keeps vast intelligence and intricacy at the base station where power supply is not a restricting element.
• Data Rate: Requirement of data rate for IoT applications range from several megabits per second (Mbps) for uplink video surveillance to hundreds of bits per second (bps) for metering. Additionally, end devices must have appropriate downlink capabilities in order to receive data packages at sufficiently high rates with the introduction of more advanced IoT applications. Usually, all LPWA technologies have lower energy consumption and lower data rate owing to the employment of robust modulation scheme and works on commodity-priced micro-controllers with restricted bandwidth. However, in order to support high data rate, cell networks or Wi-Fi have utilized massive bandwidth and complex waveforms with adaptive modulation rate.
• Mobility: In different Internet of Things (IoT) applications, a device will be permanently installed and coupled to a single access point, but other applications might need device to remain functional while moving through the range of many access points. However, most of the technologies allow for device switching between access points. The switching procedure might only happen at predetermined intervals or may be as unified as in a cellular network.
• Positioning: Device location is frequently considered as valued information. Due to its constrained indoor coverage as well as the added expense and complexity, GPS tracking is not always practical. Therefore, native positioning support is a useful feature. Therefore, native positioning support is a useful feature. The majority of wide area technologies can use triangulation to locate the device, but its accuracy is somewhat constrained for technologies with restricted channel bandwidth and circumstances in which the device is stationary without a straight signal path. As the algorithm becomes more complex, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are constantly increasing their positioning capabilities.
• Latency: Reducing latency is essential for Internet of Things (IoT) applications that rely on limited signal transmission latency tolerance and remote control. Simple applications, which includes vehicle heaters, to more complicated ones such as autonomous driving, remote surgery, and industrial automation fall under the category of latency-critical applications.
• Device Density: The need for connectivity technology to be able to handle many connections in a given area increases as more devices are linked. Delivering dependable connectivity while reducing signal interference is a challenge. Device density is typically measured in terms of the number of devices per square kilometer in the Massive Internet of Things (mIoT) context.

Commercial Requirements: The module, subscription, deployment, and maintenance costs of connectivity technologies determine the total cost of ownership for an IoT connectivity solution. If the business runs its own private network, the subscription fee can be zero. Both data usage and roaming are the factors that determine the cost of cellular connectivity subscriptions, but it also includes a base monthly price along with other additional services. The cost of the connectivity module directly relates to how complex the technology is; it can range from sub-USD 5 LPWA modules to more expensive LTE modules owing to their costly hardware and IP royalties. As the volume of deployment rises, it is anticipated that the price of the latter will eventually decrease.

Internet of Things (IoT) Connectivity Technologies for Various End Users

There is no one technology that is best suited to handle all Internet of Things (IoT) use cases. Some technologies will coincide as complementary standards rather than acting as a rival ones. For IoT installations in remote or wide areas, LoRa, LTE-M and NB-IoT are excellent complements and will together address a dominating portion of this market. Main mobile operators support NB-IoT and LTE-M and offer uniform connectivity with global reach. However, LoRa's dynamic, open ecosystem is suitable for private networks with bespoke installations. Other technology, namely Sigfox, might target few of the niche markets, but it is unclear if they will be able to withstand change in the future. Depending on the size of the IoT deployments, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi, 4G, or 5G are the best technological solutions for such applications demanding a high data rate. New opportunities for emerging use cases with various complicated requirements, such as autonomous vehicles and others, will be made possible by 5G. The choice of connectivity technology for local short-range applications is less evident. Adding to this, the implementation and interface design of platform and application layer are most important.

Figure 2: Requirement and use cases of different end user for Internet of things (IoT) connectivity technologies

Source: Telenor IoT

H- High, M- Medium, L-Low

The Internet of Things (IoT) healthcare market has witnessed a substantial growth in recent years owing to the rising adoption of high speed network technologies for Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity. Moreover, utilization of IoT-powered health insurance devices also tends to be one of the factors propelling the market growth in forecast period. This IoT devices improves communication between customers and insurers with respect to claims management, pricing, underwriting, and risk assessment processes. According to the Data Bridge Market Research analysis, the market for Internet of Things (IoT) healthcare market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.25% from 2023 to 2030.

To learn more about the study, visit: https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-internet-of-things-iot-healthcare-market

Connectivity Technology in the Context of IoT launch strategy

As reliable connectivity is considered a crucial element of an IoT solution, choosing the most appropriate connectivity technology is one of the key choices businesses must make in their IoT launch plan. Choosing the best networking technology can be one of the long-term strategic choices that the businesses must make during the implementation of Internet of Things. The route towards the Internet of Things may include rise in the sales by allowing the new business models and services or by lowering the costs in internal manufacturing and supply chain activities. Thus, enterprises can not only recognize the technological requirements but also select the suitable vendor and technologies after outlining the strategic and financial objectives.

Importance of Choosing the Right Connectivity Technology

Both short- and long-term commercial success can be impacted by choosing the correct networking technology. Thus, both viewpoints should be taken into account. In the long term, it might hamper the scalability as the number of devices rises or force expensive device replacements if the technology doesn't prove to be appropriate to support lengthy product lifecycles in forecast period. However, in the short term, a wrong decision might lead to higher costs or poor performance than anticipated.

Figure 3: Technologies behind Internet of Things

Various technologies are available on the unlicensed and licensed spectrum for the Internet of Things (IoT).  The industry is not viable in the long run because of the current fragmentation.  We believe that certain technologies (or players) will arise as leaders in their category, but ideally, no single technology can assist all possible use cases. Different technologies will coincide with each other as a supplement rather than challenging standards.  For any enterprise, the selection of any connectivity technology depends on each use case and competitive environment.

Recently, new radio technologies have developed to connect things that earlier were too isolated for connection or very costly. Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) technologies are defined by their wide coverage and low power consumption. LWPA is categorized into two types namely proprietary LPWA and 3GPP standardized LPWA. Proprietary LPWA such as LoRa and Sigfox function on an unlicensed spectrum. Non-telecom players mostly deploy these but can also be deployed by telecom operators. Secondly, 3GPP standardized LPWA often referred as cellular LPWA includes NB-IoT and LTE-M. It can operate on licensed spectrum and are operator-managed networks. Basically, these technologies were introduced to offer cellular option and direct the needs of IoT. Cellular LPWA was standardized in 2016, and its deployments started in 2017.

The low power wide area network (LPWAN) market has witnessed a substantial growth in recent years owing to its low cost as it needs less power and infrastructure than other types of wireless communication. Adding to this, the development of more open LPWAN technologies will make the IoT and Smart Cities much more appealing in the forecast period. According to the Data Bridge Market Research analysis, the market for low power wide area network (LPWAN) market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 63.56% from 2022 to 2029.

To learn more about the study, visit: https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-low-power-wide-area-network-market

Drawback: This decision can impact the success of the service as a poor choice can result in inferior performance or higher cost in the short-term, and in the long-term, it can hinder scalability or necessitate an expensive swap if the technology is not sufficiently future-proof.

Internet of Things (IoT) Regulatory Compliance

IoT security is acknowledged by governments all around the world as a major concern. IoT compliance guidelines, meanwhile, are still being created globally. Solution providers must adhere to regulatory compliance norms set by each government in order to market their goods.

For approval, the company must follow mentioned three standards. Few require all three, whereas, other might need only the first two standards

• Regulatory: Government Approvals such as Conformité Européenne Radio Equipment Directive (CE RED), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and China Compulsory Certificate Mark (CCC)

It usually focusses on legality, interference with additional radio frequencies and its harmful nature.

• Network: Mobile Network Operator Approvals namely Vodafone, Verizon, AT & T

The main concern is passing the GFC and PTCRB test to begin the device testing with MNO partner. Following this, it must follow the MNO requirements namely firmware over-the-air (FOTA) or RF performance.

• Industry: PCS Type Certification Review Board (PTCRB) and Global Certification Forum (GCF) Approvals

This basically looks that the particular device can properly communicate with a network as per the industry standards.

According to the forecast period of 2021 to 2028, the internet of things (IoT) security market is expected to experience significant growth, with a projected rate of 11.20%. The report by Data Bridge Market Research offers comprehensive analysis and insights into the market, highlighting the factors that are expected to have a prominent influence on its growth during this period. One of the key drivers for this growth is the increasing number of IoT security regulations to ensure the security of IoT devices and user data. The majority of IoT devices in the future will depend on 5G networks. As a result, 5G networks will immediately be impacted by IoT Security Standards, and vice versa. Adding to this, IoT device security will change depending on the different sectors such as healthcare, automotive and others. Thus, this factor is anticipated to propel the growth of the internet of things (IoT) security market

To learn more about the study, visit: https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-internet-of-things-iot-security-market

IoT regulatory compliance testing incorporates specific documentation, including user manual specification, Declaration of Conformity (DoC), and technical files on the device.

The criteria for labeling, including product traceability and markings in a language that local authorities may understand, must also be met.

There are some grey areas in these approvals. As a result, it's critical to stay up to date on the most recent IoT laws to ensure that devices must pass testing criteria and are approved for use in other countries.

The approval procedure frequently takes longer than six months to complete. While some certifications require dependencies, others can be completed concurrently.

Below mentioned is the list of some countries, along with their approval certification process

• U.S. - Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
• Canada - Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
• Europe - Conformité Européenne Radio Equipment Directive (CE RED)
• China - Network Access License (NAL), State Radio Regulatory Commission (SRRC), and China Compulsory Certificate Mark (CCC)

Challenges and Solutions for Connectivity, Regulation & Compliance

1a. Challenges in regard with IoT Regulation and Compliance affects IoT device approvals

Obtaining local clearances in different nations is a significant task. Therefore, the company must be aware of each country's particular governmental standards and adhere to its regulations. Language barriers, time zone issues, and communication errors are a few factors that can make the task more challenging.

Adding to this, it gets even more complicated since, depending on how the authority defines the standards, some modifications in designing the device call for further certification testing. Other modifications, such as software upgrades, are permitted without further testing and don't need to be approved by the government.

1b. Solutions to speed IoT regulatory compliance with fewer risks

Local presence can overcome time zone and communication limitations. Local resources can quickly and effectively handle the need for quicker approvals, thus saving thousands of dollars throughout the entire process while accelerating time to market.

2a. Connectivity Regulatory Challenges in IoT Deployments

Cellular networks are considered to be more accessible and scalable for the frequent usage in the Internet of Things (IoT), particularly for deployments across various countries. Local connectivity laws, however, could pose a significant problem. Many nations have already adopted data sovereignty, permanent roaming, and data localization laws, and others are on the verge of doing the same. This could have an effect on any future or present cross-border IoT deployment that depends on cellular connectivity.

IP localization, soft localization, full localization, and e-call are the major requirements for deploying IoT devices that utilize cellular connectivity. Moreover, other challenges, including multiple SKUs, sim management, latency, and others are also faced by enterprises worldwide at the time of deployment. Thus, it must also be taken into account in terms of regulatory compliance.

2b. Overcoming Solutions

To solve the issues with multiple SKUs and profile localization, it must be eSIM-based and provide profile switching and remote provisioning. But in addition, the solution must have a number of crucial components, which are as follows:

• A centralized SIM management system that permits automatic profile switching rules and would allow the devices to independently switch carriers at the time of connectivity failure or during location change
• Distributed network infrastructure for low latency and act by data localization ordinance, namely IP localization requirements
• The roaming network must provide coverage for the deployment devices to any area. Finding a solution provider with solid strategic partnerships is essential for stable connectivity, thus eliminating the contract with local carriers. Moreover, it also have an economy of scale to confirm an optimal cost for every quality device
• The architecture of GSMA SGP.32 IoT eSIM must support the new standard for better compatibility in the forecast period

Impact of Covid Affect Towards IoT Solutions and Connected Products and Services

Accelerated technology adoption and increase in automation with Internet of Things was caused due to the rising demand for data and remote access through every corporate, government and industrial sector. Governments, businesses, and healthcare providers requires vital information that can be rapidly given by high-speed networks and connected devices.

As per the IoT Spotlight Report, a research conducted by Vodafone Limited in May 2020, intended to investigate the pandemic's affects towards the connectivity requirement. Leaders of different industries across the U.S., U.K., Germany, Italy, Ireland, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Brazil, and South Africa were surveyed. As per the study, it was found that 87% respondent's core business strategy has changed owing to the IoT adoption for better outcome. Adding to this, 86% have switched towards a new analytics approach and value of data.

Thus, those looking to implement connected solutions andacquiring essential data are greatly benefited. It is due to the fact that networks are constantly improving after COVID-19 in regards to availability, reliability, & speed. Even connected goods are leveraging that speed and throughput.

To the maximum extent possible, the labor-intensive processes that keep the economy going can be automated using sensors and cloud-based services. This can involve anything from taking the body temperatures of patients quickly to keeping an eye on the temperature of food and medications in the cargo while they are being transported to sending work tickets as necessary.

Connected goods deliver data insights quickly, wherever and whenever we require them. They allow for edge computing, which improves network performance and guarantees to send only the important data to administrators and employees. Additionally, they start critical activities that would normally need a person to be there at the appropriate time.

Thus, the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) in today's industries, including industrial automation, healthcare, smart cities applications, transportation systems, agriculture, traffic management, and many more, is driven by this crucial feature.

For instance,

Digi International Inc. has come up with advanced applications, which begins with Internet of Things (IoT) application expansion tools and embedded solutions to cater different requirements:

• Rmoni introduced a solution for monitoring perishable goods remotely with the help of with XBee modules for wireless network
• Floorbotics came up with an automated floor sanitizing solution for healthcare facilities wherein Digi XBee, a cellular module, was utilized to increase the safety and eradicate drudgery in floor cleaning along with cost minimization
• Schréder created a solution for city lighting using less energy and low maintenance cost. Each intelligent light has a Digi XBee ZigBee module and a high-performance LED array. Digi XBee modules enable groups of lights to connect to a cellular WAN using a Digi ConnectPort X4 cellular gateway to create a ZigBee Mesh network
• An energy management controller was developed by eGEAR to maximize the use of solar electricity to help both business owners as well as homeowners. The use of Digi's embedded processor module, the Digi ConnectCardTM for i.MX28, by EMC also sped up the development of software and hardware development. Digi Remote Manager immediately supplied E-GEAR with a highly functioning cloud interface.

Facts and Figures (Strategic Decisions taken by Companies)

• In June 2023, Qualcomm launched Satellite solution with two modem chipsets named Qualcomm 212S Modem and Qualcomm 9205S Modem to offer asset tracking and uninterrupted remote monitoring. This was done in collaboration with Skylo to allow superior connectivity and ultra-low power for IoT devices through cellular and satellite networks
• In June 2023, KORE Group Holdings, Inc., a IoT Connectivity, Analytics, and Solutions provider, acquired Twilio's IoT business unit. The company will accomplish the IoT benefits through different use cases
• In June 2023, Ayla Networks enters into a partnership With Etisalat by E& to offer IoT Platform for a smart home solution. With its adaptable cloud architecture and capacity to handle a range of devices, this will enhance the value of contemporary digital technologies and solutions
• In April 2023, Airtel entered into a partnership with Secure Meters for the deployment of NB-IoT services for smart meter solution. In addition to creating India's first NB-IoT solution on a narrow band with a fall-back option that will function on 2G and 4G for uninterrupted transfer of crucial data and real-time connectivity, the collaboration seeks to power 1.3 million households in the area
• In March 2023, Aeris acquired Ericsson's Connected Vehicle Cloud (CVC) and IoT Accelerator (IoT-A) businesses. The position of the Aeris as the IoT gateway for Asia-Pacific has been solidified. It offers a distinctive multi-domestic regional connectivity strategy and is supported by dominating operators throughout globally
• In October 2022, Bharti Airtel ("Airtel") came up with Always On, an IoT connectivity solution in India. This consist of dual profile M2M eSim which enables an IOT device to continuously maintain a mobile network connection from various Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in the eSIM
• In February 2022, Thales delivered innovative IoT technology in order to streamline companies' digital transformation. The introduction of the ELS62 series is in keeping with Thales' 360° approach1 and offers reasonably priced ways to speed up time-to-market for IoT solutions while also simplifying design and development processes.
• In July 2020, Synaptics acquired Broadcom's Wireless IoT Connectivity business namely GPS/GNSS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi businesses and products for USD 250 million. Through this, it gain solid tie-ups with tier-one OEMs and broad base customers.

Conclusion

A future where data is transferred between physical things, namely sensors, on-device software, and nearby technologies with other devices and system is being created by IoT-connected devices. Now a days, enormous value has been generated throughout the value chain by utilizing the IoT connectivity. This has made it possible for different organizations to take advantage of new business models, new revenues and better opportunities. A new level of digital intelligence has been added by tying all of these diverse items together through the Internet of things (IoT) and equipping them with sensors. This further allows linking objects to interact in real-time and participate in massively automated processes. It has been witnessed that the number of connections is increasing quickly with the growth of the IoT, and even estimates a rising tendency for the deployments of IoT-linked devices, including several devices connecting to the internet at once. The hyperscale Internet of Things is already being formed by various connection types and devices, spurring innovation and broadening the range of what can be accomplished by linking objects and connecting the physical and digital worlds.