Introduction
IoT has been a hot topic since 2010, but despite countless IoT initiatives being launched questions remain about how to monetise the opportunity.
This report presents:
- A top-level summary of our thinking on IoT so far
- Examples of 12 IoT verticals and over 40 use-cases
- Case-studies of four telcos’ experimentation in IoT
- Three potential roles that could help telcos monetise IoT
Overview
In the early days of the IoT (about five years ago) cellular connectivity was expected to play a major role – Ericsson predicted 50 billion connected devices by 2020, 20 billion of which would be cellular.
However, many IoT products have evolved without cellular connectivity, and lower cost connectivity solutions – such as SIGFOX – have had a considerable impact on the market.
Ericsson now forecasts that, although the headline number of around 50 billion connected devices by 2020 will remain the same, just over 1 billion will use cellular.
Despite these changes IoT is still a significant opportunity for telcos, but they need to change their IoT strategy to become more than connectivity providers as the value of this role in the ecosystem is likely to be modest.
Mapping the IoT ecosystem
The term IoT describes a diverse ecosystem covering a wide range of different connectivity types and use-cases. Therefore, to understand IoT better it is necessary to break it down into horizontal layers and vertical segments (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: A simplified map of the IoT ecosystem
Source: STL Partners
We are seeking input from our clients to shape our IoT research and have put together a short survey asking for your thoughts on:
- What role telcos can play in the IoT ecosystem
- Which verticals telcos can be successful in
- What challenges telcos facing in IoT
- How can STL support telcos developing their IoT strategy
To thank you for your time we will send you a summary of the survey results at the end of June 2017.
…to access the other 28 pages of this 31 page Telco 2.0 Report, including…
- Introduction
- Mapping the IoT ecosystem
- Overview
- Mapping the IoT ecosystem
- IoT: A complicated and evolving market
- Telcos are moving beyond connectivity
- And use cases are increasing in complexity
- IoT verticals – different end-customers with different needs
- 12 examples of IoT verticals
- What connectivity should telcos provide?
- Four examples of IoT experimentation
- Case study 1: AT&T: Vertically-integrated ecosystem architect
- Case study 2: Vodafone: a ‘connectivity plus’ approach
- Case study 3: SK Telecom: ecnouraging innovation through interoperability
- Case study 4: Deutsche Telekom AG: the open platform integrator
- Three potential monetisation strategies
- Ecosystem orchestrator
- Vertical champion
- Trust broker
- Conclusions
…and the following figures…
- Figure 1: A simplified map of the IoT ecosystem
- Figure 2: Telcos moving beyond connectivity
- Figure 3: IoT use cases are increasing in complexity
- Figure 4: Use cases in manufacturing
- Figure 5: Use cases in transportation
- Figure 6: Use cases in utilities
- Figure 7: Use cases in surveillance
- Figure 8: Use cases in smart cities
- Figure 9: Use cases in health & care
- Figure 10: Use cases in agriculture
- Figure 11: Use cases in extractive industries
- Figure 12: Use cases in retail
- Figure 13: Use cases in finance
- Figure 14: Use cases in logistics
- Figure 15: Use cases in smart home / building
- Figure 16: Connectivity complexity profile for pay-as-you-drive insurance and rental services
- Figure 17: Telco opportunity for deep learning pay-as-you-drive insurance and rental services
