October 13, 2014. London, UK: Global network operator members of the GSMA have agreed new guidelines to define how Internet of Things (IoT) devices and applications should connect to a mobile network. The guidelines are designed to ensure optimal performance and aid growth of the IoT.
The GSMA has today published guidelines for the Internet of Things market that outline how devices and applications should communicate via mobile networks in the most intelligent and efficient way, reports Jeremy Cowan. The report, IoT Device Connection Efficiency Guidelines, has won the backing of leading mobile operators including AT&T, China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, Etisalat, KT Corporation, Orange, NTT DOCOMO, Tata Teleservices Ltd., Telefónica, Telenor Connexion and VimpelCom as well as ecosystem partners including Sierra Wireless and Jasper and aims to support device and application developers as the IoT market develops.
The guidelines include a number of best practice areas such as data aggregation within devices, non-synchronous network access, application scalability and guidance on how to manage signalling traffic from de-activated or out-of-subscription SIMs.
“It is imperative that the IoT market develops with the right standards and best practices in place, reducing undue pressure on mobile networks across the world and allowing the Internet of Things to grow unimpeded,” said Alex Sinclair, chief technology officer, GSMA. “The GSMA has worked closely with its operator members to develop connection efficiency guidelines that ensure that IoT device and application makers can follow a common approach to create efficient, reliable services that can scale as the market grows and we encourage all parties to adopt these moving forward.”
Commenting on the development, Cameron Coursey, vice-president of Product Development and Operations, AT&T Emerging Devices said: “The growth of the Internet of Things brings a number of challenges with it such as the rise in the number of connected M2M devices and the huge demand they will place on mobile networks. The GSMA’s IoT Device Connection Efficiency Guidelines advocate that the mobile ecosystem adopt a common approach to offset pressure on networks which creates a reliable and efficient network for everyone.”
“Compatibility between devices, networks and applications is key to IoT service growth. Widespread adoption of these best practices will establish global standards for building and scaling IoT service businesses worldwide,” said Daniel Collins, CTO of Jasper. “Jasper shares the GSMA’s commitment to industry acceleration, and has been delighted to contribute our expertise to the development of these guidelines.”
The GSMA’s IoT Device Connection Efficiency Guidelines are intended for use by all players in the mobile ecosystem, ensuring that mobile networks can efficiently accommodate the increased number of connected devices and services resulting from the rapid growth of M2M. According to GSMA Intelligence, the total number of mobile connections is expected to reach 7.4 billion in 2014 rising to 10 billion by 2020. The guidelines will help IoT device and application developers expand the number of devices connecting to mobile networks, whilst preventing service outages and ensuring optimal performance that will ultimately enable the market to scale across a diverse range of sectors including automotive, transportation, utilities and health.
In addition to the guidelines announced today, the GSMA is also undertaking a project to develop a common set of acceptance tests for IoT devices and applications to ensure best practices are being followed. The project will establish a single, standard set of connection efficiency tests for IoT devices and applications, enabling players across the industry to develop and deploy IoT services with confidence.
The ‘IoT Device Connection Efficiency Guidelines’ is an initiative developed by the GSMA Connected Living programme. The programme is designed to help operators accelerate the delivery of new connected devices and services in the M2M market. It focuses on driving industry collaboration, promoting appropriate regulation and optimising networks to support the growth of M2M in the immediate future and the IoT in the longer term.
Stephen Bryant, CTO, Telenor Connexion AB, added: “We welcome the release of the GSMA’s IoT Device Connection Efficiency Guidelines which will ensure that the barriers in adopting and launching M2M services are minimised. Previously, organisations launching M2M services had to create and test network friendly applications, which created unnecessary challenges, inconsistencies and costs for large connectivity deployments. Our key customers have responded warmly to the release of these guidelines and are keen to see them adopted. We consider this a big step in the evolution of M2M and the IoT.”
CLICK HERE to download the IoT Device Connection Efficiency Guidelines
CLICK HERE for more information on the GSMA’s Connected Living Programme
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Email: jc@iot-now.com