What Is The Internet of Things and How Do You Stay Connected?

Poor Connectivity is the Bane of the Modern World.

With the advent of 5G and improved fibre connectivity rollouts across the UK, connectivity won’t be an issue in the not-too-distant future.

How many times have we said or heard ‘Why is my internet so slow,’ ‘I have a bad connection’ or ‘The Wi-Fi is playing up’?

Connectivity drives and contributes to the effectiveness of how the Internet of Things (IoT) works. Good connectivity allows for an infinite universe of technological advances within the IoT, from smart devices to centre console systems in cars and empowering infrastructure with IoT technology, society is becoming more connected every day.

What is the Internet of Things (IoT)?

According to TechTarget:

“The Internet of Things, or IoT, is a network of interrelated devices that connect and exchange data with other IoT devices and the cloud. IoT devices are typically embedded with technology such as sensors and software and can include mechanical and digital machines and consumer objects.”

In other words, IoT refers to any internet-connected devices (also known as ‘smart devices’) we use to make our lives easier, work more efficiently and remain connected. They can be anything, from the smartphones we use every day to more in-depth and comprehensive tools, like internet-powered security systems. When more than one IoT device is used at once for the same purpose, it could be defined as an IoT system. The IoT relies on connectivity to exist and technological advances in connectivity mean increased developments in the devices that rely on it. What does that mean for individuals and businesses? There are endless benefits for both – improved productivity, better user experience, greater flexibility and communications for businesses through to better work-life balance and lifestyle choices for individuals.

Businesses that have enhanced connectivity often lead their field in customer experience, productivity, and profitability. In a world where every customer counts, user experience is key and their ability to connect with you via multiple channels is essential. Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS) platforms, for example, provide an all-encompassing contact service for customers to reach out to businesses via any digital means they have at their disposal – including smartphones, chatbots, video calling and more; all of which can be traced back to stable connectivity and IoT.

There are a multitude of devices that we use in our everyday lives, and we often take them for granted when it comes to connectivity, like video doorbells or Wi-Fi heating systems, but all these contribute to the Internet of Things and continue to push the need for greater speeds and reliability from our connectivity.

In a time when we’re able to see and hear our loved ones instantly via the internet and relevant applications, staying connected with family and friends has relied on our ability to connect via voice and video calls. With over 66 million users of the internet in 2023 in the UK alone, according to data from Statista, all relying on the ability to connect to their friends, family and colleagues using the IoT, the need for consistent and reliable connectivity has never been more prominent.

How does Connectivity affect the IoT?

The ultimate answer to this is speed and reliability. With a fast and reliable connection anything within the IoT becomes more usable and, ultimately, improves the end user’s value and experience. Whether that is a business giving customers a far better user experience, an employee being able to work from anywhere or controlling the heating remotely before you get home – reliable and fast connectivity is what brings all this to fruition.

Apart from the standard equipment that comes to mind for connectivity, like computers and IoT applications in phones, the IoT covers a vast array of things, such as:

• Connected appliances – toasters, fridges, washing machines and even light bulbs!

• Smart home security systems – even doorbells are now part of the IoT, though more advanced systems utilise special IoT sensors to scan and store images, so they can easily be accessed across an internet connection at any time.

• Autonomous farming equipment – farming has seen many benefits from modern technology with autonomous equipment and machinery delivering amazing improvements for farmers across the globe.

• Smart factory equipment – production lines autonomously reacting to supply and demand. Logistic networks autonomously routing goods based on real-world conditions.

• Connected Vehicles – from enabling the ability to make and receive calls to streaming music and receiving updates about your cars security and health on your mobile, IoT allows a range of functionalities for vehicles

• Elevating experiences – immersive virtual meetings to boost remote team productivity with greater realism in VR, AR, and extended reality (XR).

• Weather and Disaster – connected sensors that can detect and warn of natural disasters early or simply predict weather patterns.

• Greener Power – smarter electricity grids for greatly reduced carbon emissions.

In the same breath, trustworthy connectivity also makes IoT device management simpler, allowing staff to seamlessly access and manage many devices at once from a single location, if necessary.

How Can Businesses Benefit from IoT Technologies?

How Can Businesses Benefit from IoT Technologies?

The list of benefits IoT technology can offer businesses is virtually endless, with almost all areas of business experiencing drastic changes as connectivity becomes more widespread. Here are just a few examples of how your business may have changed, or is yet to change, as a result of the expansion of IoT:

Communications

With the reliance on analogue technology winding down as we approach the PSTN switch-off in 2025, businesses everywhere are embracing more internet-powered communication systems to not only remain connected with their customers and each other, but to improve communications as a whole.

Cloud-based phone systems and Unified Communications solutions allow businesses to utilise every method of communication they need to remain productive, housed in a single, easy-to-use application, all powered entirely through the cloud. With IoT firmly digging its hooks into business communications, there’s no reason to believe these systems will not continue to expand at the rapid rate we have seen in recent years.

Security

Once reliant on physical tapes to safely store footage, security system companies are fully embracing the cloud revolution (as a direct consequence of the IoT), with many security cameras – both commercial and personal – now remaining connected to cloud storage at all times. These security systems also offer live viewing and motion alerts through an internet connection, rather than an analogue connection.

Not only this, but as artificial intelligence technologies continue to advance and are implemented further through the IoT, there is the potential that even the most remedial of security cameras can be completely transformed into fully comprehensive security systems. These systems can not only alert you to the presence of an intruder, but accurately capture precise parts of their image and voice in crystal clarity, making the police’s job of formal identification far easier.

Data Analysis and Insights

In an ever-changing competitive landscape, businesses need consistent access to the most up-to-date data if they hope to stay ahead of the competition and make the most of emerging trends in customer behaviour. IoT technology that employs the use of automation and advanced analytics – often powered through AI and stored via cloud computing – can accurately track such data as stock numbers, and which specific items are being sold at increasing rates, letting businesses know which items to push more from a sales perspective and plan for future stock.

5G and Fibre

With traditional copper connectivity (PSTN) being switched off in the UK by 2025, enhanced connectivity is being delivered to more people across the country daily.

The potential boost to UK productivity, by 2025, through nationwide full fibre is £59 billion according to Openreach. With around 16% of people in the UK now working from home permanently, the potential for that to increase even further is now a reality more than ever before.

According to The House of Commons Library, up to 93% of UK premises are now able to receive a 5G signal from at least one operator. This means technological advances in numerous areas that rely on connectivity can be developed and deployed. Greater speed means faster transfers of IoT data enabling many businesses to undergo major transformations with their workforce. As we have seen in recent times, remote working is becoming the norm, but with that comes the need for improved data transfers and more reliable infrastructure and that’s where 5G will help.

5G is up to one hundred times faster than 4G technology and faster data means businesses can evolve even quicker, allowing for improved customer experiences in the field, innovative technology creation and remote working capabilities. The connectivity opportunities presented by 5G are already pushing job growth, with the maintenance and development of 5G technology creating millions of potential jobs alone, while the evolution of jobs in technology that can be powered through 5G will give rise to even more jobs both now and in the future.

Fibre is already changing the way we all do things, from healthcare to simple things like movie quality experience in your own home. Complex surgical operations can be performed without the need for a surgeon to be in the same city or even the same country, thanks to internet-powered robotics, and cloud data centres allow businesses to operate from, virtually, any geographical location without the need for substantial amounts of hardware.

High-speed fibre connections also allow businesses to run cloud-based PCs – a virtual computer that you can scale up or down depending on your needs. As there is no physical hardware, cloud-based computers can be streamed from any device utilising the virtual PC’s power and abilities.

Connectivity and Vehicles

5G connectivity will enhance the way we travel amongst other things. Autonomous vehicles are still some way off for the average user, however, high-risk environments are already leading the way with this technology. More than 50% of all new cars sold in the UK feature autonomous safety features like automated emergency braking, lane assist technology and internet connectivity over mobile networks keeping vehicle occupants connected to the online world. As the effectiveness of 5G and similar mobile connectivity technology continues to grow, expect to see many more consumer vehicles fitted with internet-connected features designed to improve both safety and the driving experience.

Connectivity for employees and business

Better connectivity increases not only job opportunities, but a better work-life balance for many workers, across the globe. Working from home and hybrid working are fast becoming the new normal, providing companies with happier employees, which has been possible with improved levels of connectivity and technology.

By 2025, it is reported that millennials will make up 75% of the workforce, effectively replacing boomers and drastically reducing the representation of Generation X. Millennials have grown up using the IoT more than any other generation and are more connected than any other. Therefore, businesses need to cater for the changing needs of the new workforce.

Information

As connectivity improves, so does our insatiable appetite for information.

Connectivity is a part of everyday life now, whether for business or personal use and is constantly improving everything we do. As the IoT increases, so does the amount of data needed to run it and with a virtually unlimited number of things that can be connected, the connectivity needs to be fast and dependable. According to Statista:

‘The UK has one of the highest internet penetration rates in the world. Almost the entire nation has access to the internet with an estimated 62.86 million monthly users in 2021. This is expected to rise to over 65 million monthly users by 2026.’

Staying connected and the IoT

There is no doubt that the digital ecosystem is a complex creature that relies on connectivity, what that looks like 10-20 years from now boggles the mind. Advances in technology and the way we interconnect with the Internet of Things will, hopefully, only improve the way we work, live and play.

Reliable and fast connectivity has been one of the only things holding back a surge in the IoT, especially for more urban and rural areas, however, with the commitment and rollout of high-speed fibre and 5G networks across the UK, the future landscape looks extremely promising.

One thing is for sure, businesses that harness the potential of the IoT will surge forward with improved productivity and profitability, with the ability to maintain workforce wellbeing and improved work-life balance.

If you’re looking to harness first-class connectivity with intelligent IoT solutions, speak to one of our specialists today. Call us on 0344 875 8880 or fill in our contact form.