Four Common IoT Connectivity Challenges and How to Solve Them
By Scott Ellis
February 10, 2020
Connectivity
Building IoT Solutions That Enable Smart IoT Ecosystems
Internet of Things (IoT) cellular connectivity has evolved from point-to-point communications into a nexus of data exchanges that take place within complex, multicarrier ecosystems. As a result, enterprises are demanding more from their IoT solution providers, who are responding with a sophisticated collection of devices and services.
As they strive to bring new, innovative devices to the market, IoT manufacturers face common challenges in developing and delivering capabilities that fully benefit the enterprise. These challenges include:
- Building smart IoT systems that scale well as they grow
- Managing complex, multicarrier coverage for IoT devices and assets across regions
- Controlling or eliminating the complexity of contracts when working with multiple carriers
- Monitoring and maintaining security across the connectivity chain
Also, today’s enterprises are reevaluating the success of their IoT deployments against a collection of key performance indicators (KPIs) that go beyond traditional metrics. In addition to measuring performance on revenue, growth, and cost, these KPIs include IoT ecosystem sustainability, scalability, and reliability. To support enterprises in achieving all their KPIs, solution providers must overcome these four challenges.
4 Common IoT Problems and Solutions
1. Challenge: Scaling an IoT deployment to keep pace with the growth of your business
Solution: Simplify the building of smart ecosystems that scale to growth
Enterprises want tiered IoT functionality that is cost-effective, reliable, provides quality coverage and scales at any stage of an IoT deployment. Solution providers can simplify the process of building a smart ecosystem by offering their solutions on a platform that encompasses the range of IoT functionality their customers need.
Resist the temptation of going DIY or subscribing to one-size-fits-all freeware. Look for a purpose-built platform with the advanced resources to enable IoT application, administration, security, management for data, devices, connectivity and billing that scale as needs change. Does the platform offer tools to maximize speed and minimize costs of firmware Over-the-Air (FOTA) campaigns? Will it help future-proof your solution? With the right platform, you can ensure your solution’s longevity while providing your customers with visibility and control over their entire evolving IoT deployment.
2. Challenge: Working with multiple MNOs to support a global IoT deployment
Solution: Streamline and manage intricate IoT deployments across regions
More customers are extending their mobile IoT operations across regional and international boundaries, requiring global IoT device management capability. For example, a remote ore mining operation might be the first in the mining process chain of transporters, processors, manufacturers, and distributors that need to be linked together. In this product custody chain, cross-boundary players at each link are looking for comprehensive track-and-trace solutions, regardless of where the product is in the chain. These models call for a new level of stakeholder collaboration, data sharing, and network interoperability.
Connectivity partners can help by supporting the broadest coverage possible at the lowest price under one billing umbrella. Find a trusted and experienced partner with access to multiple carriers that can give customized, local rates across regions. The right connectivity partner can assist enterprises by crafting a connectivity plan that leverages many carriers offering best-in-class services at the best prices wherever they are and manage the MNOs for both you and your customers.
3. Challenge: Managing numerous, complex carrier contracts
Solution: Simplify contract management by partnering with a single connectivity partner
Connecting distributed IoT assets in almost real-time requires increased cross-network switching efficiency. Intelligent switching technologies that limit roaming and automate switching between carriers, networks, and services based on predefined business rules are on the rise. Managing multiregional IoT deployments can involve researching multiple partners and signing several contracts, which creates inefficiency, besides being highly error-prone.
Organizations should look for a connectivity partner with a robust portfolio of vetted resources. Such a partner can help you make the best choices and simplify contractual management by taking care of the administrative details (e.g., billing) all in one place.
4. Challenge: Maintaining end-to-end IoT cybersecurity across a scaled deployment
Solution: Aggregate endpoints and streamline operations to reduce attack surfaces
The distributed and decentralized nature of IoT is increasing enterprise cyber vulnerability. Edge devices are prone to potential intrusions, including attacks on data and control. Effective defenses must span the entire connectivity chain from infrastructure to endpoints. IoT manufacturers must embrace multilayered security design and real-time monitoring that helps to:
- Identify, authenticate and control access of various entities in the IoT connectivity chain
- Safeguard data to ensure confidentiality, integrity, availability, authenticity, and privacy
- Protect processes and mechanisms to guarantee the availability of network resources
Search for a partner with dedicated security solutions for both hardware and software. Your partner should be able to aggregate endpoints to provide a single VPN to manage traffic through various carriers. This streamlining can dramatically simplify and bolster security while driving greater efficiency.
Getting the Most Benefit from IoT Deployments
Enterprise customers are looking to achieve sustainable competitive advantage in their sectors. They need providers who can deliver customized and purpose-built IoT connectivity solutions that track, report and optimize next-generation KPIs. By overcoming the four common IoT connectivity challenges, you can help ensure faster deployments that deliver more benefits to the enterprise.
Get ahead of the competition by partnering with a trusted advisor. With years of experience serving customers in multiple industries, Telit has a full range of options to meet your needs. By eliminating the trial and error involved in optimizing connectivity for your solution, you can focus on your core business and reduce your time to market. As your trusted advisor, we can help you make an informed decision to meet your needs today and into the future.
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