To ensure the efficient deployment of machine-to-machine (M2M) communications systems, a consortium of ICT standards development bodies has set up a global organization to help drive the M2M market forward. M2M is behind the popular Internet of Things technology that could enable smart cities of the future where mobile devices can communicate via SIM cards while enabling mobile Internet management and monitoring.
With M2M connections growing exponentially, as high as 50 billion connections are forecasted by 2020. These connections will reside in virtually every market - from healthcare and transport, to energy and agriculture. The oneM2M specifications to be developed will provide a common service layer embed with hardware and software to help connect these devices. In addition, the consortium hopes to develop global end-to-end M2M specifications to lower costs, shorten time-to-market, create economies of scale, simplify application development and avoid standardization overlap. These technical specifications and reports are being developed by two standard development bodies that include ARIB, ATIS, CCSA, ETSI, TIA, TTA and TTC.
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The lack of standards in M2M has been a barrier to the development of the M2M market. The new framework will benefit end-users, service providers and others allowing devices to communicate with middleware across multiple geographies and industries. Challenges, however, exist that need to be overcome before a common service layer is established. The different requirements and standards across the different vertical industries that exist will not allow one service layer to work equally across all industry sectors. Application development is still largely done according to different industry protocols and specifications. To have a single layer that harmonizes all these different standards will thus require getting agreement within the industries themselves. Other challenges include regulation across different regions and the policies of different governments across different markets.
Aligning all these various elements in one M2M layer will thus take time and focus and will likely happen on an industry-by-industry basis.
Want to learn more about M2M technologies? Then be sure to check out the M2M Evolution Conference , collocated with ITEXPO West 2012 taking place Oct. 2-5, in Austin, TX. The M2M Evolution Conference is for industry professionals interested in capitalizing on a rapidly growing segment of the telecom industry. The M2M Evolution Conference embraces the any-to-any strategy of the Internet today. Co-sponsored by TMC Partner Crossfire Media, it showcases the solutions, and examines the data strategies and technological requirements that enterprises and carriers need to capitalize on a market segment that is estimated to grow to $300 Billion in the year ahead. For more information on registering for the M2M Evolution Conference click here .
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Edited by
Brooke Neuman