Client story
Brief
Ofcom, the UK’s telecoms and media regulator, wanted an independent analysis of the potential growth of the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) that was grounded in technical reality. The aim was to inform its future regulatory priorities and to provide forecasts to key UK stakeholders.
We were selected due to our long and broad track record in IoT product development, coupled with our in-depth experience of the mobile and telecoms sectors, and access to experts in a broad range of markets.
Approach
Our first step was to involve colleagues across the company to define a practical definition of IoT. We then developed a list of potential IoT applications for 12 different market sectors. We also analysed the key technical developments and evaluated their potential impact.
For each market, we developed forecasts that built on the current state of the market; our analysis of the impact of new and emerging technologies; and a series of recommendations for policymakers and consumers.
Benefit
Ofcom gained an authoritative view of the market developments within IoT that was summarised into five key, actionable conclusions. These included predictions that the current fragmented market will consolidate as standardised solutions become widely adopted – and that deployment will accelerate.
We also provided a series of key recommendations for policymakers and regulators to drive consumer awareness and ensure security by design. The report has been published by Ofcom on its website.
