IoT from Point A to Point B: Enter External IoT Service Providers

The Internet of Things (IoT) has become a buzzword, though in reality, it’s still very much in its infancy. According to Gartner, IoT applications remain “an early adopter investment.” With that said, new research shows that the adoption rate is on the rise; Gartner recently surveyed 273 professionals about their organization’s implementation of IoT solutions, and found that 60 percent of respondents are currently using IoT in their businesses or will be after 2017:

• 25 percent of respondents indicated that they currently use IoT in their businesses
• 12 percent expected to do so within the next 12 months
• 23 percent planning to do so after 2017

As organizations expand upon or build their IoT applications, most will need the help of an external IoT service provider (ESP), because they don’t have the experience, skill sets, or expertise to manage the many moving parts necessary to launch an IoT solution, including:

• Connectivity: The new standard is for 4G LTE from Tier-1 operators around the globe.
• Equipment: This includes hardware, such as cellular-enabled routers, gateways, or tablets.
• Management: Comprehensive and robust connectivity management platforms that allow you to manage connections across all devices and networks.
• Customer support: B2B customers demand comprehensive support, 24/7.
• Managed services: This could range from IT to monetization solutions.

Gartner’s research found that a quarter of IoT planners are very likely to explore and adopt the outsourcing of IoT solutions, and we expect that number will grow dramatically in the coming years.

The logical next step of concern is determining which ESP makes the most sense for your organization and its goals.

Choose the Right IoT Service Provider

Before choosing an IoT ESP, conduct due diligence by considering the following recommendations:

• Take internal stock: Identify and quantify current and planned IoT investments across the company and act as an influencer to ensure the IoT investments meet the expectations established at the planning stage.
• Identify shortcomings: Create a skills and experience gap analysis to understand the likelihood of ongoing success by including cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency for internally-staffed IoT projects
• Educate IoT stakeholders: Orient internal groups to focus on use cases, supporting technologies and providers proven to meet or exceed expectations. Work collaboratively with centers of excellence and empowered groups investigating IoT to ensure investment and outcomes are balanced and optimized.