No matter what prediction or forecast we look at, the IoT is projected to grow by mammoth proportions over the next few years. Some of these predictions suggest that as many as 50 billion devices could be connected to the internet by as early as 2020. These devices will be collecting reams of data in real time and, in many instances, in perpetuity as well. And while the data is important, it remains absolutely useless unless you can connect to it. Therefore, almost all of the benefits brought about by IoT devices become totally dependent upon the connectivity technology that empowers them.
The good news on the IoT device connectivity front is that we have seen consistent growth in the capabilities of wireless connections. This growth has occurred mostly in the cellular and Wi-Fi spaces. Both of these popular technologies have been enhanced significantly as of late, especially so in the areas of speed and latency. The problem, though, is that the pace of IoT app and data usage has increased much faster than cellular and Wi-Fi capacity. And with the number of IoT devices expected to surpass the 50 billion mark by next year, it is easy to see how device deployment will continue to outpace current, and possibly even future, Wi-Fi and cellular capabilities.
