There’s nothing like the feeling of your first successful IoT project. Organisations are excited by the new capabilities, process improvements, and opportunities delivered by their initial IoT deployments. However, complexity increases greatly as organisations broaden the scope and scale of their IoT deployments. Managing numerous devices across a variety of wireless carriers and connectivity technologies can become a daunting task. The good news is that a single IoT connectivity management system can solve many of these challenges by efficiently monitoring all devices across the enterprise, adjusting rate plans, and managing connections across multiple carriers around the world.
Here are the top five critical factors to consider when selecting a connectivity management platform:An IoT connectivity platform should reduce complexity, not increase it. The right connectivity hub makes it easy to optimise your IoT device connections and automate daily connectivity processes so that your team can continue to innovate and grow your business. Look for a clean user-friendly design that makes IoT connectivity monitoring and management a breeze. Make sure your team attends vendor demos and has the ability to test the features and functions to ensure they match your needs.
IoT connectivity demands are changing rapidly, and more change is certain. You won’t be able to manage an eSIM deployment with a platform that’s stuck in the 2G era. To keep pace with innovations, you’ll need connectivity management that can adapt to changing technology and business requirements. Look for an IoT management platform that’s built on a modular architecture, allowing you to add new connectivity services that better meet customer needs or get new IoT-based products to market quickly.
Congratulations, you’ve built a cutting-edge IoT solution. Now you need a connectivity management platform that seamlessly integrates with your existing systems. You don’t want to re-invent your infrastructure or any of the components. Look for a platform with an open application program interface (API) and ensure that the system supports agnostic application enablement, making it easy to communicate with your technologies rapidly – without the need to modify source code.
Possibly the most valuable benefit of a centralised, single connectivity management system is the ability to provision multiple network carriers across multiple regions. Some platforms only work with a limited number of carriers, or even just a single provider and its partners. This limits your connectivity options and locks you into a finite list of rate plans.
When investing in a connectivity management platform, make sure it integrates with as many network carriers where you need coverage. It is also important to ask about the platform provider’s plans to add more wireless providers over time and ensure their expansion plans align with your long-term needs – saving you the challenge of outgrowing the platform and moving to another. An ideal connectivity management system will open up possibilities with a large number of geographically diverse carrier partnerships, ensuring that no matter where you expand your IoT solution in the future, you will have seamless coverage.
Keeping ahead of the swift pace of change requires a connectivity management solution that can support emerging technology options. eSIM, a nascent advanced connectivity option, is a good example. Its ability to remotely provision carrier profiles to your devices will likely revolutionise your IoT deployment in the future, providing greater coverage reliability, reduced TCO, and freedom from outrageous roaming charges. Find a connectivity platform that will enable you to take advantage of eSIM and other future emerging technologies.
The secret to IoT success at scale is eliminating complexity. By selecting the right connectivity management platform, your organisation can better manage devices, cellular technologies, and rates for an optimal IoT deployment. These questions will help you select the platform that best aligns with your business needs and maximise your return on IoT investment.
Need help defining your connectivity management needs? We’re here to help! Contact a KORE expert today to better understand how a central connectivity hub can help you monitor and manage your IoT solution and scale for the future.