Dynamic Role Of Cellular Connectivity In IoT

IoT has enabled different industries to drive innovation in areas such as wearables, asset tracking, smart homes, healthcare, telematics, EV charging etc. This article will help you understand cellular IoT connectivity and the various options available to enterprises when selecting the right connectivity solution for their IoT deployments. 

How To Choose The Right IoT/ M2M Connectivity For Your Business?

When you are evaluating the right connectivity option for your enterprise, you need to categorize your selection based on several criteria - bandwidth capacity (speed), latency, network technology, cost and scalability. It is not always easy to get all capabilities optimized in one solution. At ConnectedYou we offer connectivity solutions based on your enterprise requirements.

Bandwidth capacity 

Depending on the use case, requirements for data speeds can vary. For some use cases like video telematics high speeds are required for seamless experience. Therefore it is important to find out if your connectivity provider throttles the speeds and if they do when does the throttling come into effect. Especially when you use connectivity in roaming conditions the chances of the suppliers throttling your data speeds are high. There are many MNOs and MVNOs who offer a standard 1Mbps or 10Mbps connection for IoT SIMs and charge extremely high fees for higher bandwidths if at all they can offer high bandwidth options for IoT/ M2M use cases.

The ideal option is to select a connectivity provider who does not throttle the speeds at all. 

Latency 

For use cases where high data speeds are important most likely the latency is also very important. Based on the connectivity providers infrastructure and especially in roaming conditions latency can vary between 50ms and 500ms.

It is important to ensure that the latency for use cases like video telematics is under 100ms to get the best experience. Test the SIMs yourselves in live devices where they need to be deployed before mass market deployment.

There are some providers who can offer a good solution even in roaming conditions as they have local/ regional breakouts/ POPs (Point Of Presence).

Network technologies

Don’t start from hardware first, choose the right hardware based on the solution needs be it 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, LTE-M, NB-IoT. Find the right balance between costs (hardware and connectivity) and future scalability. Keep an eye on industry trends, your use case and business needs and match it with connectivity options and providers before selecting the hardware.

We have seen many enterprises who invested in hardware first and got stuck with limited connectivity choices and providers in scenarios where they could have gone a different route and made better choices.

Look for multi network options from providers for better coverage in countries of deployment. 

Cost

First and foremost, it’s important to set a budget for your connectivity solution. It should not drain your pockets. Ensure that you have factored in the cost to set up along with the operational cost that will continue over-time.

Ask your connectivity providers how you will benefit over time as your business and volume grows. Your sales pricing is going to reduce in future so your costs must also reduce to keep you in business.

Scalability

IoT solutions are all about the ability to scale and future-proof your business. Be mindful of your future growth plans when choosing an IoT connectivity solution. There are many connectivity providers that allow you to start quickly and seem to be an easy choice but it may not always be the right choice at scale and once you have devices locked to 1 provider it is not easy or cheap to change providers. Start with the right solution that allows you to scale the right way without being locked to a particular connectivity provider.

WHY CONNECTEDYOU?

If you are finding it difficult to make a decision, feel free to reach out to us – we are always happy to help. We orchestrate the critical components that include - eUICC enabled SIMs/ eSIMs, global IoT/ M2M connectivity, unified monitoring & management, and remote SIM provisioning capabilities into a single solution as a one-stop-shop. Here’s why our product is the best solution for your enterprise - 

• The largest aggregation  of 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, LTE-M and NB-IoT networks 
• Connectivity options for countries with permanent roaming restrictions
• Transparent Pay-As-You-Go pricing without hidden charges or minimum commitments
• Connectivity without throttling for best experience
• Local/ regional breakouts globally to achieve desired latency
• Single contract enabling hassle free multi-supplier sourcing without lock-ins with any connectivity provider
• Unified platform to manage your IoT/ M2M SIM cards irrespective of the connectivity supplier
• Capability to switch connectivity suppliers remotely without SIM replacement and  without any additional transaction costs
• Central support desk for all connectivity issues

We would be very keen to hear about your challenges, help you and share your pain with our ecosystem of suppliers and partners to deliver the right service for your enterprise. Get in touch so that we can insure and offer a future proof IoT roll-out. Write to us at sales@connectedyou.io

Written by: Neha Verma and Parag Mittal @ConnectedYou