Security is a major concern for IoT projects

What are the barriers faced by both those who are deploying Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and those who intend to follow this path in the future? This question was posed by Kaleido Intelligence, a market intelligence and connectivity consulting firm, to more than 750 professionals involved in the IoT landscape in a survey that explored the most important factors related to connectivity.

Topics covered in the survey included IoT project management, its main concerns, and what is required of IoT service providers. It also examined the elements that lead to the adoption of technologies such as eSIM and private 5G networks.

The main findings of the survey were:

• IoT deployments based on cellular networks continue to generate concern in enterprises, with persistent questions about security and service availability.
• End-to-end security was the top 1 concern noted by those who are deploying IoT solutions today and who are considering doing so in the future.
• Respondents consider it very important to keep multinational solutions protected against roaming restrictions.
• Almost all respondents expect connectivity providers to offer some form of security, with more than half looking for advanced options such as IP restrictions, peak traffic detection, unconfigured ports, and more.
• Design and hardware support are seen as the biggest challenges by those who have not yet adopted the technology.
• Vertical-specific solutions are increasingly in demand.

“Connectivity is a fundamental foundation for generating value from IoT solutions, but is often a source of trouble in projects that are not scaled properly. This research aimed to reveal the key connectivity pain points faced by companies and how a combination of industry knowledge and education can help them focus on maximizing the value generated by the data in IoT solutions,” says Steffen Sorrell, research leader at Kaleido Intelligence.

Other challenges

Beyond security, companies face other challenges in their efforts to deploy IoT solutions. Many are looking for greater cost efficiency and environmental sustainability, according to research by satellite connectivity provider Inmarsat.

More than half (54%) of respondents said cost efficiency is the main driver behind the adoption of IoT technologies, followed by environmental sustainability and better visibility into their supply chains (both at 48%). However, many organizations continue to face major barriers in their IoT deployments, with a lack of internal skills and reliable connectivity in the deployment phase (37% and 24%, respectively).

“The efficiency gains and cost savings that IoT can offer, in addition to the huge environmental benefits, clearly shows why many companies are looking at IoT solutions. However, to achieve the best benefits, we must ensure all the right skill sets and connectivity requirements are present,” says Mike Carter, President, Inmarsat Enterprise. The research showed that organizations that struggle to implement the right connectivity strategies are lagging behind their peers, and those with a formal IoT strategy are in a better position to reap the benefits of optimized, more sustainable operations.