On this episode of the IoT For All Podcast, Marc Sauter, Head of IoT Product Administration at Vodafone, joins Ryan Chacon to debate what companies ought to contemplate when shopping for IoT connectivity. Marc highlights Vodafone’s international efforts to attach companies intelligently, providing real-time operational information that may assist automate processes. He outlines the position of synthetic intelligence in IoT and predicts an elevated adoption of IoT in healthcare and manufacturing resulting from demographic challenges. Marc additionally shares some frequent challenges in IoT corresponding to reliability and safety.
About Marc Sauter
Marc Sauter is chargeable for main Vodafone’s IoT Product Administration together with flagship merchandise like IoT Administration Platform GDSP, Invent and Web within the Automobile (IITC). Marc has a wealth of senior administration expertise. After beginning his profession at HP, he went on to work at Siemens and Cinterion Wi-fi Modules, specializing in R&D, technique, enterprise growth, and product administration throughout the communications and business sector. Marc holds a Grasp’s diploma in Electrical Engineering from the College of Cambridge within the UK and a Grasp’s in Enterprise Administration from the European College of Enterprise in Reutlingen, Germany.
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About Vodafone
Vodafone is the biggest pan-European and African telecoms firm. Their function is to attach for a greater future through the use of expertise to enhance lives, digitalize important sectors, and allow inclusive and sustainable digital societies. They supply cell and stuck companies to over 300 million prospects in 17 nations, companion with cell networks in 46 extra, and are additionally a world chief within the Web of Issues (IoT), connecting over 167 million gadgets and platforms.
Key Questions and Matters from this Episode:
(00:13) Introduction to Marc Sauter and Vodafone
(01:36) What does Vodafone do?
(03:06) Shopping for IoT connectivity: what to think about
(10:20) Future-proofing IoT connectivity
(12:56) Recommendation for firms beginning to join gadgets
(16:10) Frequent challenges in IoT adoption
(17:53) Predictions for IoT in 2024
(19:20) What industries will begin adopting IoT extra?
(20:29) The intersection of IoT and AI
(21:56) Be taught extra and observe up
Transcript:
– [Ryan] Welcome Marc to the IoT For All Podcast. Thanks for being right here this week.
– [Marc] Yeah, thanks, Ryan. It’s a pleasure.
– [Ryan] Yeah, I’m very excited to have you ever. Earlier than we leap into the dialog that now we have deliberate, would you thoughts giving, introducing your self a bit to our viewers and giving an outline of Vodafone and what you all are doing within the IoT house?
– [Marc] Yeah, certain. Look, I’ve been with Vodafone for 14 years, all the time in IoT, and had varied roles from main technique and enterprise growth, advertising and marketing and technique. I’m at the moment, I’m chargeable for portfolio and product administration. So engaged on fairly thrilling stuff and creating the longer term for Vodafone IoT.
Mainly, engaged on which new merchandise and options we’re going to develop to assist our prospects reworking their enterprise and succeeding in an more and more aggressive place. Previous to Vodafone, I used to work at Siemens, HP, and a smaller equipment firm in Canada, all the time with some IoT context.
Though 25 years in the past, it wasn’t known as IoT however business automation or machine to machine, M2M. So general, I’m actually obsessed with IoT due to the potential it has to rework our enterprise and lives and the constructive impression on society. For me, it’s tremendous rewarding to be a part of an business that helps sufferers to get out of hospital sooner or helps enterprises to scale back their CO2 emissions.
– [Ryan] I believe the business has come a good distance in all probability over these 25 years, and it’s undoubtedly in a really thrilling place. So let me ask about Vodafone particularly. What position do you all play within the IoT house? And this can be a type of a query for many who will not be as conversant in what you all do and what you’re offering to the business and the place you’re slotting your self in.
– [Marc] We at Vodafone, now we have been serving to organizations of all sizes to intelligently and reliably join your enterprise globally with our main IoT connectivity resolution for over 30 years, and we assist them to intelligently join machines, asset, issues, and folks, and companies have entry to operational information virtually in actual time and might use this to automate processes, scale back working prices, and acquire flexibility.
So mainly, they’ll flip information into significant info to make knowledgeable selections and run their operations higher. As well as, it helps them to develop new enterprise fashions and income streams to remain aggressive. In the present day, we assist over 160 million IoT connections throughout a variety of industries from utilities, manufacturing, logistics, automotive, agriculture, healthcare.
And I believe all of that is changing into much more necessary in mild of AI. You could possibly even say that IoT connectivity is an enabler for AI, for synthetic intelligence, as IoT helps to make the info from all these machines, belongings, et cetera, obtainable to get processed and analyzed by AI.
– [Ryan] Completely. No, that’s an awesome level. So, I suppose you’d be an awesome particular person to ask this subsequent query to then. If I’m a enterprise on the market seeking to how finest to pick the IoT connectivity for my gadgets to attach, what ought to companies actually contemplate? What ought to I as a enterprise proprietor or I as an organization seeking to undertake an IoT resolution be actually interested by and contemplating in relation to the buying and choosing of IoT connectivity that matches or that matches finest with the answer that’s being constructed or deployed?
– [Marc] Excellent query as a result of IoT connectivity is usually mission important. So from that perspective, it’s actually necessary that you simply clearly specify your use case and the necessities by way of IoT connectivity from the beginning.
For instance, you already know, what companies are wanted, what information utilization is required, the place will the gadgets be deployed, et cetera. And we are able to dive into all these totally different parameters in order for you.
– [Ryan] Yeah, be at liberty to broaden on just a few of these. I believe it’s good. We’ve talked up to now concerning the, these totally different factors from have, totally different specialists have talked about them, but it surely’d be good to possibly carry all of it collectively and discuss why it’s so necessary that you simply perceive your use case to have the ability to perceive the necessities and the parameters that, what sort of information is coming in, how briskly you want the info, how a lot information it’s. All these various things are going to dictate the kind of connectivity that may be a match in your resolution and never and likewise not be overkill and likewise not underperform when within the surroundings that the {hardware} and the answer is being deployed in.
– [Marc] Yeah, completely. After which look all of it hangs collectively as a result of all this has an impression on the general resolution and subsequently the whole value of possession as a result of it’s essential to begin from the system.
One other sort of connectivity you choose will have an effect on the system. And in addition then on the price and all that type of stuff. I do know the primary query I’d ask is which companies does your use case want? Is it information solely? For instance, if in case you have a manufacturing machine the place you repeatedly must do a software program improve and information is completely high quality. Or do you additionally want voice and SMS capabilities like in lifts and elevators to assist an emergency name? I used to be as soon as caught in an elevator, and I used to be completely satisfied to press the button and discuss to anyone and say, hey, I bought caught. Are you able to please assist me? For these use instances, then you definitely additionally want voice.
Then, assuming you’re okay with information solely, then the query is what’s the anticipated throughput or information utilization? In our case, with our prospects, now we have prospects and use instances with a month-to-month information utilization of multiple gigabyte. And for instance, that’s updating the software program of a manufacturing machine or remotely managing belongings like a wind turbine or updating the map of your navigation system within the automotive. So these then require a stable 4G not less than, and even higher, a 5G connection.
On the opposite excessive, now we have use instances that solely require just a few kilobyte of information per yr. So for instance, a smoke detector, proper? On this case, LTE-M or Narrowband IoT are the only option and that has a direct impression on the price of the module of the system as a result of an LTE-M or Narrowband IoT system or module is less expensive than a 4G or 5G module. After which, in fact, there are all these different use instances which can be in between, like electrical energy, gasoline, water meters, farming, medical gadgets, and so forth.
Okay, so when you could have readability on the throughput and the info utilization of your system, then the subsequent query I’d ask is the place the gadgets will likely be deployed. So this begins with deployments in a single nation versus worldwide deployments. So, you want an answer that helps roaming overseas on this case or different gadgets deployed in exhausting to achieve areas corresponding to basements.
, for instance, my dad only in the near past put in an answer to remotely monitor the oil tank in his previous home. So clearly the tank is within the basement and protection is de facto poor due to the physics. However then the answer right here is Narrowband IoT or LTE-M once more, that are designed for higher deep indoor protection.
After which additionally in these instances, take into consideration the vitality consumption of the system and entry. In some instances, there is no such thing as a exterior energy provide, and your system is dependent upon the battery. For instance, if you concentrate on a smoke detector or a sensor to measure water ranges of a river to ship an alarm in case of flooding. So, you need these gadgets to function so long as potential with the smallest battery, so once more, the answer is LTE-M or Narrowband IoT.
Then the fourth query is how typically does the system must transmit info? And what’s the impression when you don’t have a dependable service? How mission important is it? And right here we’re speaking concerning the reliability and resilience. In our options, for instance, we offer a characteristic that is known as nationwide roaming, which supplies you entry to multiple community, multiple radio community in any nation. And that considerably will increase your possibilities to get a sign and have good protection. And the opposite side is latency. So right here, clearly, 5G and particularly 5G standalone present the bottom latency, which is sort of actual time. And that is required to remotely function a crane or a distant surgical procedure.
After which final however not least, the query is how do you need to handle your use instances and gadgets? So most of our prospects, they require subtle capabilities to handle their SIMs and connections. For instance, when you manufacture your gadgets in Asia, and also you need to have a closing check of the answer on the finish of manufacturing, then the system will get shipped to Europe, and only some weeks later, then the system and the answer is bought and used. And on this case, our prospects can use our administration platform to place the SIM right into a check mode for the ultimate manufacturing check, then right into a sleep mode throughout delivery, after which activate them simply earlier than utilization. In addition they can handle information utilization to see the place and the way the gadgets are used, and many others. And that’s all remotely achieved via our platform.
Most prospects use our APIs to attach our platform to their programs. However we even have a web-based portal, which is used as properly. So these are the 5 factors I believe. You have to get readability and type it out earlier than you begin in selecting the right connectivity in your use case.
– [Ryan] That’s unbelievable. Yeah, it feels like from an organization perspective, a purchaser perspective, it’s actually necessary that they perceive all of the intricate particulars that they probably can about their use case, the surroundings wherein it’s going to be deployed, are their gadgets going to be transferring from area, between areas. Is it gonna be staying in a single space? As you talked about, the kinds of information that’s going to be transmitted, how typically they want the info, issues like that.
What about interested by after the deployment, I suppose it in all probability may very well be thought of extra after the deployment is completed, there’s going to be new applied sciences that come out sooner or later, there’s going to be sunsetting of networks sooner or later. Are there issues that firms can do or take into consideration to assist put together themselves for future applied sciences down the road or different kinds of applied sciences which will exist that can affect their choice on the kinds of connectivity that they select for his or her resolution?
– [Marc] Yeah, completely. Firstly, IoT is enabling many inventions throughout all industries, however then there’s additionally loads of innovation taking place inside IoT. So Vodafone, for instance, is working with business our bodies on the definition and standardization of future applied sciences and infrequently main these actions.
I’m significantly enthusiastic about 5G and the extra alternatives and innovation it brings. In the present day, we already join a number of million gadgets with 5G. These gadgets profit from the elevated throughput and bandwidth of 5G, however much more developments will include 5G standalone, standalone with an actual 5G core community. Along with the elevated pace, this can even present tremendous low latency and better high quality of service via community slicing, and this can allow an entire raft of recent use instances, particularly mission important and actual time use instances like autonomous driving, distant surgical procedure, good vitality grids, and lots of extra.
– [Ryan] Do you assume that is one thing that as an adopter of those applied sciences is necessary for firms to observe and observe and perceive themselves? Or is that this one thing that a company like Vodafone and the businesses that they work with to carry an answer to life are going to assist information them via as the longer term type of unfolds?
– [Marc] Yeah, I believe each. Look, most of our prospects, their core competency isn’t round communications or connectivity, proper? Their competency is manufacturing and growing vehicles or medical gadgets or different issues. Due to this fact, it’s good to have a robust companion that helps them on what’s taking place within the telco house and actually supplies good consulting companies and guides them on what’s taking place right here. However clearly, it’s additionally, it doesn’t hurt if in addition they watch and monitor what’s happening within the business right here as properly.
– [Ryan] So let’s take it one step additional, and the corporate has decided on the kind of connectivity that they’re going to make use of, and now they’re beginning to join their gadgets. What recommendation do you could have for firms which can be simply getting began connecting their gadgets to the community and actually beginning to deploy their IoT resolution?
– [Marc] So simply mainly what we talked about earlier than, clearly outline your necessities, what use instances, companies, et cetera, however then additionally work with a robust companion who has the expertise on this space, sturdy reference instances, and who will help and seek the advice of you to refine these necessities, possibly even difficult you and offering a unique perspective which may result in a greater general resolution. Now, this companion must also make it simple so that you can deploy and handle IoT. When you have worldwide operations, your companion must also have international experience and arrange and business expertise to assist you. After which the answer you choose ought to be safe, dependable, scalable, and clever to supply good high quality connectivity companies to you and your enterprise which you’ll be able to depend on.
And general, the recommendation I all the time have and provides to prospects who really haven’t had any IoT challenge but is to begin with a smaller pilot or proof of idea, join some gadgets, check it, get some expertise, validate your assumptions, and doubtlessly refine your necessities. After which primarily based on this pilot and the expertise you bought, prospects can then march on to bigger deployments with confidence.
From our expertise, most prospects that begin small rapidly understand the extra worth they’ll get by connecting the gadgets. After which for this journey and course of, you want a robust companion that walks with you and supplies the assist and experience you want.
– [Ryan] How does that recommendation differ for the businesses which can be within the IoT house? So let’s say system builders, resolution builders, versus the adopters of the tip resolution. Is there a type of totally different recommendation or any of that recommendation tweaked in any manner that makes these kinds of group that you simply both work with or related with in some capability distinctive in how they’re approaching it versus simply the upper degree consumer or firm that’s going to only undertake an answer for his or her explicit drawback and attempt to resolve it?
– [Marc] Yeah, every buyer is slightly bit totally different. So subsequently, actually necessary that you choose a companion that has broad expertise and experience, proper? Like in Vodafone, for instance, now we have hundreds of shoppers throughout all sizes, throughout all verticals, additionally worldwide. So, now we have during the last 25, 30 years accrued loads of expertise and experience, which then our prospects can profit from. I believe that is actually the profit and the differentiator right here, and every IoT challenge can be barely totally different with totally different necessities. So, you all the time typically must customise it and be very particular and bespoke.
– [Ryan] Are there any frequent challenges that you simply come throughout working with these firms or that you simply understand loads of these firms have of their adoption of IoT options? Is there something that you simply witnessed out of your perspective that may be value sharing with our viewers of issues simply to bear in mind outdoors of the clearly the choice making course of for selecting the IoT connectivity, however simply usually as an entire, are there frequent challenges like, let’s say, options which have gadgets which can be touring via a number of totally different areas, which you’ve talked about roaming, however what about like exhausting to achieve areas? What about once you’re beginning to discuss belongings which can be transferring much more like automobiles, speaking about bringing voice into it, issues like that. Are there different challenges which can be beginning to seem nowadays greater than possibly up to now which can be value sharing type of ideas on easy methods to, or what issues you must have and easy methods to overcome them?
– [Marc] Our world will get extra related daily. There are such a lot of sensors, actors, gadgets, belongings on the market that profit from being related, and increasingly more of these items get really related. So subsequently, the companies but additionally we as a society and people rely rather more on this related world and having a steady and dependable connectivity. So from that perspective, I believe having this reliability is tremendous necessary. Resilience is tremendous necessary. After which additionally the safety is tremendous necessary since you need to be sure that your information isn’t compromised. These are challenges that go throughout mainly all industries, all prospects, that reliability, resilience, safety is more and more necessary.
– [Ryan] I suppose the, one of many final questions I’ve is as we’re now in 2024, what do you are expecting or see or anticipate or most enthusiastic about taking place in 2024? In from a Vodafone perspective, from simply an business perspective within the work that you simply do, the businesses that you simply work with, the place do you, the place ought to individuals be keeping track of and what do you foresee coming about that can actually take this to the subsequent degree?
– [Marc] Yeah, look, I’m tremendous enthusiastic about the way forward for IoT, particularly in mild of synthetic intelligence as a result of I believe the alternatives, it’s simply large that’s on the market. And the extra gadgets, belongings, issues we join, the higher it will likely be, the extra information now we have for to feed the synthetic intelligence machines and that may solely drive loads of advantages, proper?
I’m, as I stated earlier, I’m tremendous excited to develop with our prospects revolutionary options that basically remodel companies and lives. And as I stated, it’s tremendous rewarding to see sufferers popping out of hospital sooner or to additional scale back CO2 emissions. These are the issues that basically maintain me going and likewise maintain the Vodafone crew going. We’re extremely dedicated on innovating and offering one of the best options to our prospects and actually serving to them to reach their house.
– [Ryan] Are there any industries that you simply really feel are going to take the subsequent step in IoT adoption? As a result of clearly there’s been many various use instances and industries which can be, which were main the way in which for a few years. Do you see any type of that you simply suspect will begin to actually undertake IoT extra that possibly hasn’t been one of many bigger adopters up to now possibly due to the maturity of sure applied sciences and issues like that. Is there any type of business that you simply’re actually centered on keeping track of?
– [Marc] Yeah, I believe the demographic challenges that now we have in particularly within the extra developed world the place we’re struggling to get extremely certified individuals that can drive much more adoption of AI and IoT and people type of issues. Automation in areas like healthcare but additionally in areas like manufacturing, proper, as a result of then you’ll be able to automate extra issues and that is the place I’m tremendous excited, and I believe the adoption of IoT and connectivity in these areas will really considerably improve over the approaching 24, 36 months.
– [Ryan] And what about AI? You’ve talked about that just a few occasions. We’ve been centered rather a lot on AI the final in all probability yr or so due to how shut knit IoT and AI are. With the work that you simply all do, how does AI match into the spectrum of choices and the stuff that you simply have interaction with prospects round?
– [Marc] Nicely, there are two issues to it, proper? So to start with, we in our merchandise and options, we’ll more and more undertake AI and machine studying and people type of issues to make our service higher and much more dependable and resilient and safer. In order that’s one side. However then additionally by connecting extra gadgets, extra belongings, extra information will likely be supplied to those AI machines, and so they can then course of extra information and extra in actual time, and that may solely assist to drive the end result of AI processes.
– [Ryan] Yeah, it’s avery thrilling time. I believe 2024 goes to be a very nice yr throughout the board. I believe we’re seeing extra firms perceive the worth of IoT, perceive what it will probably do for his or her enterprise, how different firms of their business are using it to unravel sure issues. And I believe applied sciences have come an extended solution to actually make it one thing that they’ll see a faster ROI and actually justify attending to scale, which is the place everybody right here wins if firms are in a position to see that and get to that extra rapidly. So, I actually admire you taking the time to share your insights in the present day, and I suppose the very last thing I’ve for you is simply to let our viewers know the place they’ll be taught extra about what you all have happening, doubtlessly observe up with any questions, something like that.
– [Marc] Yeah, to start with, Ryan, thanks very a lot for giving me the chance. Then, yeah, if firms need to get in contact with us, then I believe the primary place is our internet web page. However then additionally, now we have in most nations, now we have a Vodafone consultant, IoT gross sales drive, additionally within the US or in Japan, then simply get in contact with them, and we’ll aid you and work with you to make your enterprise related.
– [Ryan] Mark, thanks a lot. This has been nice. We’ve all the time cherished the alternatives to work with Vodafone on content material and type of discuss your all’s experience, what you could have happening within the business. We predict what you’re doing is nice. Actually admire the time, and hopefully we’ll have the chance to speak once more sooner or later.
– [Marc] Thanks very a lot, Ryan.