

AT&T announced it launched a national LTE Cat-M1 network in the US with plans to expand to Mexico this week.
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AT&T announced it launched a national LTE Cat-M1 network in the US with plans to expand to Mexico this week.
Companies that want to leverage this specialized network for the enterprise IoT can pay $1.50 per device per month, plus the cost of the associated modules.
The technology is useful for devices like asset-tracking sensors and RFID tags that use very little data and power. But unlike low-power wide area networks (LPWANs) like Sigfox or Senet, LTE Cat-M1 uses existing infrastructure, making it less labor- and capital-intensive to deploy — savings that can be passed onto consumers.
This network could help the company keep pace with Verizon, which is also building out LTE Cat-M1 networks around the world. Verizon beat AT&T to market in the US, so AT&T is hoping its early push into Mexico can give it a first-mover advantage in that market and help balance the competitive landscape.
While useful in some scenarios, LTE Cat-M1 probably isn't the game changer AT&T wants it to be for the IoT. Here's why:
- It's designed for a very specific set of IoT use cases. While its useful for the enterprise IoT, LTE Cat-M1's set of uses cases are pretty narrow. AT&T notes that it's ideal for sensors and tags to track items throughout the supply chain, smart city deployments, and wearables like a Fitbit. However, LTE Cat-M1 isn't useful for IoT devices that need to use and transmit a lot of data — like robots or self-driving cars — limiting its ceiling of use.
- And IoT decision makers are still focused on networks they're familiar with, as opposed to new introductions. Companies using the IoT can use many networks to connect their devices, including Wi-Fi, traditional Cellular, Bluetooth, and LPWANs like Sigfox. But this wealth of options might lead IoT providers to just use the networks they're most familiar with — a 2016 Business Insider survey found that 80% of IoT service providers use Wi-Fi for connectivity, 60% use Cellular, and 59% use Bluetooth.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is growing rapidly as companies around the world connect thousands of devices every day. But behind those devices, there’s a sector worth hundreds of billions of dollars supporting the IoT.
Platforms are the glue that holds the IoT together, allowing users to take full advantage of the disruptive potential of connected devices. These platforms allow the IoT to achieve its transformational potential, letting businesses manage devices, analyze data, and automate the workflow.
Peter Newman, research analyst for BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled a detailed report on the evolving IoT platform ecosystem. This report sizes the market and identifies the primary growth drivers that will power the IoT platform space in the next five years. It also profiles many of the top IoT platforms by discussing key trends in the platform industry such as platform consolidation.
Here are some of the key takeaways:
- The IoT platforms market is set to expand rapidly in the years to come, with current leading platforms expanding and others entering the space.
- We define the key categories into which IoT platforms fall: building block open platforms, closed high-end platforms, and product management platforms.
- We highlight the ways platforms can help companies reach the full five stage potential of the IoT.
In full, the report:
- Explains the coming growth of the IoT platforms.
- Profiles a number of leading platforms.
- Highlights the central role platforms play in the IoT.
- Looks to the future of the IoT platforms market.
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