By Martin Ekpeke
Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are set to benefit from an estimated US$1.8 trillion Internet of Things (IoT) revenue opportunity by 2026 boosted by the early deployment of commercial Low Power Wide Area Networks in licensed spectrum, the GSMA forecast has disclosed.
This is even as live Mobile IoT Initiative supporting commercial LPWA network deployments has increased to 15 worldwide.
According to new figures in the IoT Forecast Database Research published by analyst house Machina Research, sees a huge growth opportunities for mobile operators delivered through new Mobile IoT applications and services.
To date, 12 mobile operators have launched 15 commercial Mobile IoT services, including AT&T, Telstra and Verizon (LTE-M), as well as China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, M1, Turkcell, Verizon and Vodafone (NB-IoT). The research also indicates that the Americas region will account for an estimated US$534billion, or approximately a third of the total revenue.
“There is a real sense of momentum behind Mobile IoT networks in licensed spectrum, with multiple commercial launches around the world, as well as the availability of hundreds of different applications and solutions, but there is still much to be done,” said Alex Sinclair, Chief Technology Officer, GSMA.
Sinclair observed that many operators are already reaping the benefits of deploying Mobile IoT, adding that the GSMA encourages others to act now to capitalise on this clear market opportunity and further accelerate the development of the Internet of Things.
The new findings highlight that consumer demand for connected home (US$441 billion), consumer electronics (US$376 billion) and connected car technologies (US$273 billion) represent the biggest revenue opportunities for IoT. However, other areas such as connected energy look set to reach US$128 billion by 2026 as a result of local governments and consumers seeking smarter ways to manage utilities. Similarly, revenues from connected cities are forecast to reach US$78 billion by 2026.