There are many sophisticated apps and uses for a modern day smart phone but essentially is does two things

Voice Services – Providing a connection that allows you to speak to someone
Data Services – Providing a connection to the internet and allows you to use applications and web sites

By contrast IOT allows a machine to communicate to another machine without a person setting that connection up. The machines then “talk” through a data service.

All of the connection types that we are used to on our Smart Phones, Bluetooth, WiFi, Mobile, Internet need you there to set them up.

The use of IOT does not.

eSIM Usage is Growing

The eSIM is a hardware version of the familiar SIM inserted into mobile phones, It does the same job and it is often used in places that are physically difficult to reach

According to research from Counterpoint’s ETO (Emerging Technology Opportunities) Service shipments of eSIM-based devices will reach almost two billion units by 2025, up from 364 million in 2018.

Smartphones are likely to take 50% of these with other categories such as IOT, wearables, automobiles, PCs and routers taking the rest.

What can the IOT be used for?

1. New Cars to be Ultra Low Emissions

In November 2020, the Prime Minister put the UK on course to be the fastest nation in the G7 to decarbonise cars and vans, announcing that all new petrol and diesel cars and vans will be phased out by 2030. The government has published a road map of change to support this ambition.

There will be no single solution to this but IOT is likely to contribute.

Using IOT technology Electric charging points can be connected to the Internet. With this connection in place this will allow for accurate, real time and remote billing charging.

At the more complex end data analytics will allow energy providers to understand patterns of use down to individual charging stations, peak demand periods and inter-company trading to allocate electricity supply. This will incrementally reduce the need for new energy production and create the environment for green energy sources to be preferred for supply.

2. Tracking of Mobile Assets

A quick search on google will show a very high number of shipping containers in circulation in the world. The range of estimates is extremely wide, an indication that the number is not actually known.

Port authorities and shipping companies though really do need to know where their containers and products are.

IOT can be used to connect containers with their location, as well as host a wealth of data such as information on contents and destination.

3. Smart Metering

The number of applications for IOT in the home is mind boggling particularly with the financial muscle of Amazon driving the consumer market.

Perhaps one of the simplest and earliest adoptions is Smart Metering supporting consumers and energy companies to reduce carbon emissions by providing real time metering and billing on actual usage.

If the consumer then receives data analytics on where and how that usage is being generated, they will find it easier to reduce energy costs and consumption.

4. Usage Based Car Insurance

The main drivers for pricing car insurance either directly or through comparison web sites remains age, number of years driving, postcode and years without an accident.

This data though does not really represent actual driving habits or give the consumer much ability to reduce the cost of insurance other than shopping around.

Using IOT data on actual driving habits can be passed to an Insurer and to yourself and your insurance can be switched to a monthly payment based on your actual driving habits. You will also be aware of how your driving habits are costing you money and therefore more likely to adjust your driving to be cost effective and possibly safer.

Finally

In many ways the use of the IOT is only limited by the speed with which it can be scaled and the creativity of people to find new ways of using it.

It is very much a “hidden” technology with limited knowledge outside of those in the industry yet together with the introduction of 5G it is poised to change many things.

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