Blend of 5G, AI, M2M and IoT bringing the world closer to a connected future

As India ushers in 5G connectivity it opens up many new capabilities to enhance productivity and safety of not only online transactions but Machine2Machine (M2M) transactions as well. In fact, the big goal of Internet of Things (IoT) is to enable enterprises to create automated systems using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for applications as diverse as managing home appliances to smart meters and traffic signals. Moreover, the industry has to define the scope of connected technology with respect to its security for all aspects, such as devices, connectivity, secure deployment and their physical security.

These are some of the key inferences shared by IDEMIA, a provider of Augmented Identity solutions in its whitepaper on IoT/M2M Security Essentials and Trusted Framework unveiled today.

It says, today, we expect almost everything to have IoT/M2M capabilities including consumer products, for example, automotive, home appliances, security cameras and commercial devices such as smart meters, smart grid, smart water management, traffic signals. Network evolution and rapid technical growth are propagating Industries and cities for increasingly embracing the IoT/M2M. The build in static or dynamic applications allows enterprises to gain access to the device data that can be visualized and explored to run advanced analytics so they can respond in real-time.

Matthew Foxton, President, IDEMIA India & Executive Vice-President, Communications & Branding for the Group said, "Here at IDEMIA, we believe that Identity is at the heart of a connected world and at the centre of everything we do. We are very enthused that the digital movement is focusing on identity and data security within the regulatory framework, as security becomes even more vital thanks to expanding use cases with 5G rollout. We are very proud that IDEMIA, as a world leader in identity technologies, is helping to create next-generation use cases for Payment, Connectivity, Access Control, Travel and Public Security based on substantial investments in R&D and our teams of experts in India and across the world."

The network technologies 5G, 5Gi, 4G and under Low power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN) such as Narrow Band IoT (NB-IoT), LTE-M, Long Range Radio (LoRa), ZigBee and SigFox are creating new business opportunities around these technologies. Indeed, the magical combination of these technologies will change the contours for connectivity, security and analytics.

Even as this vision is getting closer to reality there are several issues that need careful attention. These include:

• Fragmented market & use cases
• Security
• Evolving need for continuous upgrade and use cases
• Interoperable architecture to secure connected ecosystem

The IoT/M2M industry is highly fragmented with a large number of use cases belonging to critical connected infrastructure, automotive, health energy and other business segments. The need is to collaborate for greater good and best outcomes. The fragmented market will complicate the IoT/M2M adoption. The need is for vendors to come together to create device standardization, secure integration and deployment.  The quality of services will depend on how such collaborations work to enable seamless transfer of IoT/M2M data to take actions instead of being confined to silos where it will be of little use.

Besides overcoming the challenge of fragmented markets, the IoT/M2M technologies must ensure security. There’s a need to create  robust devices, secure connectivity and networks for various industry verticals by implementing connected solutions, including utilities, connected vehicles, agriculture, healthcare, transportation, and security for businesses and homes. This will help drive new opportunities for innovation – solving problems and addressing the pain points for enterprises and users alike.

Enterprises and government agencies are leveraging IoT/M2M technology to maximize efficiency to reduce operating expenses and improve service delivery to their constituents. In parallel consumers for connected technology expect to establish synergies among multiple devices, multiple use cases, including interoperability and trust.

Such a transformation can be possible only if we work towards faster digitization with top-most security infrastructure. Security challenges are the major concern largely for networks, devices, connectivity and applications. The industry must address these challenges to usher in a truly connected, automated era.