Author: Kitty Weldon

As Principal Analyst for Enterprise Mobility and IoT at GlobalData, Kathryn is responsible for analyzing events, companies, products and technologies within the wireless enterprise services, IoT, and private wireless solutions space.

IoT M&A and Product Exits Consolidate a Fragmented Market but May Augur Trouble

by Kitty Weldon, posted in Internet of Things
Kathryn Weldon – Research Director, Business Network and IT Services – Americas

Summary Bullets:

• The last two weeks have seen unusual levels of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity within the IoT ecosystem and the announced exit of an IoT platform from a major vendor.

• These changes confirm a need for consolidation in an overly complex and fragmented market with a way to provide growth and longevity for vendors by enlarging product scope.

M&A

  • On July 29, Telit, a US-based provider of IoT technology solutions including hardware and management platforms, announced its intention to acquire the cellular IoT products of Thales, a French vendor of aerospace, defense, security, and digital identity solutions. These include Thales’ portfolio of wireless communication modules, gateways, and data modem cards that support 4G LTE, LPWAN, and 5G. Telit notes that the acquisition will expand its presence in new industrial IoT segments including payment systems, energy, e-health, and security. It also enhances the company’s ability to respond to demand for cybersecure IoT solutions in modules and cellular connectivity. In turn, Thales will take a 25% stake in the expanded Telit business, which will be rebranded as Telit Cinterion.
Continue reading “IoT M&A and Product Exits Consolidate a Fragmented Market but May Augur Trouble” →

IoT Enhancements Among ITSPs Driven by Acquisitions and Alliances in 2022

by Kitty Weldon, posted in Internet of Things, Mobilize
Kathryn Weldon – Research Director, Business Network and IT Services – Americas

Summary Bullets:

• GlobalData’s latest report on IoT services from IT service providers (or ‘ITSP’ – please see: ”IT Services Provider IoT-Services Competitive Landscape Assessment”) highlights recent alliances and acquisitions that have given providers a deeper focus into industrial verticals or enhanced digital transformation capabilities with IoT and adjacent technologies.

• Looking at new services, partnerships, and recent alliances over the last six months, GlobalData ranks Atos as a ‘Leader’ in ITSP IoT services; Accenture, Capgemini, and IBM as ‘Very Strong;’ and InfoSys and Cognizant as ‘Strong.’

Recent key announcements from these providers not included in the aforementioned report (and others such as Tech Mahindra and Wipro) demonstrate how important recent acquisitions and alliances have been to fortify IoT offerings along with other digital transformation technologies such as AI, digital twins, 5G, edge, blockchain, and cloud services.

Continue reading “IoT Enhancements Among ITSPs Driven by Acquisitions and Alliances in 2022” →

Future Gazing: 6G for the Enterprise

by Kitty Weldon, posted in Mobilize
Kathryn Weldon – Research Director, Business Network and IT Services – Americas

Summary Bullets:

• While 5G is positioned as a “near-term” game-changer, both pundits and telecom vendors debate network characteristics, performance expectations, and use cases that will be enabled by next-generation wireless technology: 6G.

• Compelling enterprise use cases in early trials, or are only hinted at today, will allegedly be widely available in the 2030s.

Analysts are busily digesting evolving information on the capabilities of 5G as they aim to come up with answers to burning questions such as:

Continue reading “Future Gazing: 6G for the Enterprise” →

Can North American IoT MVNOs Thrive in Difficult Times?

by Kitty Weldon, posted in Internet of Things
Kathryn Weldon – Research Director, Business Network and IT Services – Americas

Summary Bullets:

  • Internet of Things (IoT) mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) had to overcome reliance on connectivity-led portfolios as they court global enterprises while competing with mobile operators focusing on IoT as a growth area.
  • Those MVNOs that remain and thrive have re-vamped offerings to stay relevant, drawing customers with application enablement, vertical solutions, management platforms, and professional and managed services.

IoT MVNOs expand the reach of enterprises looking to connect IoT devices on a global basis, primarily via cellular technologies. They can expand mobile or fixed operators’ footprints as a partner or sell directly to OEMs and enterprises that need widespread, easy-to-use connectivity. They can also offer seamless connectivity in regions where a single carrier cannot provide service.

Continue reading “Can North American IoT MVNOs Thrive in Difficult Times?” →

Announcements from Industrial IoT Services Providers Augur Well for Market Momentum

by Kitty Weldon, posted in Internet of Things
K. Weldon
K. Weldon

Summary Bullets:

  • Over the past six months, IoT service providers in the US, Europe, and APAC have been busily disclosing new capabilities, with close to 30 announcements, not including customer wins.
  • Announcements ranged from news on acquisitions and investments to new and enhanced services, technology alliances, and vertical solutions.  

New and Enhanced Services

New and enhanced services ranged from asset tracking improvements to expanded coverage, roaming alliances, managed services, wholesale expansion, and blockchain in conjunction with Internet of Things (IoT), edge alliances, and dynamic network access.

Continue reading “Announcements from Industrial IoT Services Providers Augur Well for Market Momentum” →

Nokia and Equideum Partner to Optimize and Analyze Health Data

by Kitty Weldon, posted in Big Data, Mobilize

K. Weldon
K. Weldon

Summary Bullets:             

  • The Nokia Bell Labs and Equideum Health collaboration will leverage data generated from wearables and home health devices.
  • Analytics will be fundamental in aiding clinicians, pharmaceutical companies, and researchers to rapidly gain insight from the data as well as shorten clinical trial timelines.

In April 2022, Nokia Bell Labs and Equideum Health announced a partnership focused on empowering individuals to own and benefit from their personal health data. The collaboration will leverage the rapidly expanding datasets generated from wearables and other edge devices, including the growing set of in-home medical devices. The central premise is that while health data is increasing exponentially, no one has figured out a way to collect it, centralize it, and use it for near real-time meaningful insights. Edge computing, AI, ML, and blockchain technologies are now available to accomplish this by collecting and analyzing diverse data types from a wide variety of devices (e.g., wearables, sensors, smartphones, and video feeds). The partners also expect to empower a flood of innovation, without companies worrying about sharing proprietary information or individuals worrying about sharing their personal information without knowing who has access to it. Beneficiaries of this vision will include consumers, healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, institutions, medical device manufacturers, and potentially a slew of startups excited about access to reams of high quality, verifiable health data.

Continue reading “Nokia and Equideum Partner to Optimize and Analyze Health Data” →

T-Mobile US Joins Zephyr Project to Boost 5G Developer Innovation

by Kitty Weldon, posted in Mobilize

K. Weldon
K. Weldon

Summary Bullets:           

  • T-Mobile joins Zephyr Project as a platinum member to offer innovators a developer kit and partner resources to help them develop innovative applications/devices for its 5G network.
  • This builds on the 5G Forward initiative disclosed by the operator in March, which includes a new developer platform, DevEdge. What kinds of use cases is T-Mobile anticipating and will they give it a leg up in the enterprise?

When T-Mobile launched 5G Forward on March 23rd, it described initiatives designed to accelerate 5G developer innovation, including DevEdge, a new developer platform; the Tech Experience 5G Hub, a state-of-the-art innovation center; new T-Mobile Accelerator participants; venture funding for two companies (SignalWire and Spectro Cloud); and strategic partnerships with Disney StudioLAB and Red Bull to develop 5G-powered experiences for fans. T-Mobile claims that wireless developers run into “carrier barriers,” including the need to navigate a maze of hoops and hurdles with limited support, inaccessible experts, unclear pricing, drawn-out certification processes, and limited coverage from rivals’ 5G networks. DevEdge promises easy connection of any device to T-Mobile’s network, pre-certified modules and chipsets, access to APIs and open-source projects, real-time collaboration, and a developer kit (free to the first 1,000 users) with access to data from T-Mobile’s LTE and, in the future, its 5G networks. The T-Mobile Accelerator already boasts a handful of partners, most of which are building consumer applications or devices such as augmented reality (AR) glasses. Spectro Cloud, however, is an enterprise management platform. Continue reading “T-Mobile US Joins Zephyr Project to Boost 5G Developer Innovation” →

IIoT MVNOS Use Innovation to Stay Competitive and Profitable

by Kitty Weldon, posted in Internet of Things

K. Weldon
K. Weldon

Summary Bullets:

  • IIoT MVNOs play an important role in expanding the reach of enterprises looking to connect IoT devices across the world, primarily via the cellular networks of mobile operators.
  • In order to remain competitive, however, they have developed innovative ways to go ‘up the stack’ through enhanced management platforms, a unique vertical focus, or diverse go-to-market strategies.

GlobalData’s latest report on European and Canadian IIoT MVNOs (published in March 2022) focuses on three leading companies in this market: Sierra Wireless, Cubic Telecom, and Transatel (an NTT company headquartered in France).  Each of these service providers not only extends IoT connectivity for enterprises by allying with an assortment of global mobile operators, but has also differentiated itself through enhanced management platforms, a unique vertical focus, or diverse go-to-market strategies.  GlobalData also follows the IIoT MVNO market in the US, focusing on services from Kore Wireless, Aeris, and ORBCOMM. Continue reading “IIoT MVNOS Use Innovation to Stay Competitive and Profitable” →

Enterprise Mobility Services Market Energized by 5G, Edge, Private Networks, and New Devices 

by Kitty Weldon, posted in Mobilize

K. Weldon
K. Weldon

Summary Bullets:

  • For several years, enterprise mobility announcements such as new services, geographic expansion, new go-to-market strategies and alliances, new device types, and enhanced management platforms were few and far between.
  • This has changed with the advent of 5G and edge computing, massive IoT, mobile private networks, and devices and management services for ruggedized computers and wearables.

GlobalData has completed its annual review of the global enterprise mobility services market.  In 2021, there were many enterprise mobility announcements from US and global operators, as an energized operator ecosystem is eager to offer new services and capabilities again.  In part, this is due to new technologies such as 5G and edge, massive IoT, mobile private networks, and expanded usage and connectivity of new device types such as ruggedized computers, wearables, and frontline worker devices (e.g., barcode scanners).  Themes related to 2021 announcements can be divided into four main categories: 5G/edge, private networks, devices/management, and vertical solutions. Continue reading “Enterprise Mobility Services Market Energized by 5G, Edge, Private Networks, and New Devices “ →

Telco Edge Still a Nascent Opportunity but Forecasts are Encouraging

by Kitty Weldon, posted in IT Leader

Summary Bullets:

Kathryn Weldon – Research Director, Business Network and IT Services – Americas

• GlobalData’s latest edge computing forecast provides an optimistic outlook for operators aiming to monetize recent investments in edge-related technology and services.

• Operator alliances in 2021 are aligned with edge investments, and include products and services from a broad ecosystem; they can extend telco capabilities, and lead to upselling opportunities for adjacent services.

The opportunity for operators that are making investments and forging alliances to leverage edge computing along with their 5G and fiber networks is expanding. Although much has been said about the dangers of striking partnerships with hyperscalers and SIs that may end up with the lion’s share of revenue, operators are discovering an assortment of advanced services and upsell opportunities by using edge as an enabler. GlobalData’s latest edge computing forecast) includes revenue forecasts for edge-related hardware, software, and services and reflects optimism about the ability of vendors and service providers to monetize investments in edge computing. Not only is there an opportunity for telcos to generate revenue directly from edge-related managed and professional services, but ultimately the service providers hope to draw enterprise customers that will be using edge resources to deploy advanced latency-sensitive applications, and offer them new IoT services, security and privacy enhancements, and end-to-end vertical solutions. Business customers can benefit from optimized workloads, using local or nearby computing and storage resources. They can save money on connections to remote clouds or data centers, secure private data, and take advantage of the high bandwidth and low latency enabled by operators’ 5G and fiber networks by using compute and storage resources at the edge of the operator network or on the customer premise.

Continue reading “Telco Edge Still a Nascent Opportunity but Forecasts are Encouraging” →