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Vodafone Australia has revealed some Australia-specific data from the survey carried out for its global IoT Barometer, released in July, saying it shows that more than three quarters of Australian businesses believe embracing IoT to be critical for success in their industry.
The survey was conducted by Circle Research in April and May 2016 and to more than 1000 companies across Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, the UAE, the UK and the USA.
Vodafone has published the report annually since 2013 (It was previously known as the M2M Barometer). This is the first edition to include respondents in Australia, but Australian data was not broken out in the published report.
In regards to Australian businesses the survey found:
– 78 percent of Australian companies believe that IoT is critical for future success of organisations in their sector;
– 51 percent are planning to launch new connected solutions in the next 12 months;
– 76 percent believe that achievement of real success and value from IoT requires significant financial and time investment;
– Only 47 percent have the processes in place to manage IoT security.
“Three-quarters of the companies we interviewed now recognise that the Internet of Things is a new industrial revolution that will change how people work and live forever,” said Vodafone Group IoT Director, Erik Brenneis.
(Eternal life? That would be quite some achievement – Editor)
Brenneis added: “Almost half the companies surveyed across multiple countries and sectors told us they’re already planning to bring connected network intelligence to millions of devices and processes over the next two years. 2016 is the year the Internet of Things entered the mainstream.”
South East Water NB-IoT trial to expand
The Australian data was revealed at a Vodafone Australia press briefing at which executive general manager of Enterprise, Stuart Kelly, revealed the Vodafone’s NB-IoT trial with Victorian utility, South East Water, announced in April, and being conducted with Huawei, was being expanded.
South East Water, the Victorian Government owned water and sewerage utility serving South East Melbourne, has replaced 3G technology with NB-IoT technology to transmit real-time data on network performance, asset condition and fault management from its sewer network.
Kelly said phase two was about to commence. “It will go to phase two — 20 sites and 300 devices — in Q4 with a view to extending the system through South East Water’s network,” he said.
• Vodafone Hutchison Australia CEO, Iñaki Berroeta, will give TelSoc’s Charles Todd Oration in Sydney on Wednesday 19th October 2016.
