Rogers announced that it will be the first Canadian carrier to offer Internet of Things (IoT) ‘as a service’ to it business customers. A couple of years back, the term, was of little substance, with most people and businesses not exactly sure what it meant, even though the term was first coined back in 1999. To understand IoT better here is the definition – “The Internet of Things (IoT) is the network of physical objects—devices, vehicles, buildings and other items—embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity that enables these objects to collect and exchange data. The IoT allows objects to be sensed and controlled remotely across existing network infrastructure, creating opportunities for more direct integration of the physical world into computer-based systems, and resulting in improved efficiency, accuracy, and economic benefit.”
That helps put into prospective what Rogers is trying to do by teaming up with blueRover, a Canadian leader in IoT. Charlie Wade, SVP, Products and Solutions, Enterprise Business Unit said that “Connectivity is now table stakes today when it comes to supporting the Internet of Things – for Canadian businesses to drive real productivity with this technology, they need solutions that are simple to deploy and manage. With blueRover, we’re bringing connectivity, monitoring and management of IoT solutions in-house so our customers can focus on running their business while we take care of managing the day-to-day.” According to Nigel Wallis from IDC Canada, there are only 45-percent of Canadian companies are deploying IoT solutions, but it is expected to be valued at over $13 billion by 2019.
Rogers Enterprise customers will have access to help in three major areas. The first concerns itself with incident management – right now many companies handle their IoT device and network issues with multiple vendors and Rogers wants to be their one-stop help center for any IoT issues. The next significant area concerns the farm and food monitoring sectors – helping to monitor and control refrigerators, freezers, deep fryers and ovens, which will help the businesses comply with food safety regulations and help prevent spoilage. The third area Rogers will involve themselves in is called level monitoring – this affects businesses that must monitor and measure liquids, such as grain, oil, water and waste materials. This control can prevent emergency deliveries and services saving the businesses time and money.
Other Canadian companies like Telus, Bell, and BlackBerry, have been proactive in using IoT in their businesses, but Rogers holds the largest share, 60-percent, of the Canadian IoT industry. For now, Canada still lags behind the US and Pacific Asia in developing IoT, but with a tech sector that is eager to grow, Canada could become a valuable player and Rogers wants to be at the forefront.