Cross-country IoT services

The ISG Provider Lens Internet of Things Services and Solutions Europe 2021 study finds that European enterprises prefer providers that deliver IoT services in multiple countries while offering multilingual support.

Companies are looking not only for managed IoT service providers with dedicated on-site services available even in remote regions, but also for IoT consulting services. Providers also need to be well versed in the different data collection, data security and data protection regulations in Europe, according to the study.

Road traffic regulations, management and control systems for railroads or mobile networking also differ from country to country, making successful pan-European networking projects difficult due to the lack of interfaces and common standards.

A persistent concern for IoT adopting companies is cybersecurity. That's why they are turning to service providers who can help them protect the data flowing through IoT systems, according to the study. IoT service providers are therefore building security services into their consulting and managed services projects. The focus is primarily on projects that concentrate on the convergence of IT and operational technology (OT). Many of these security services cover the entire IoT ecosystem, from the edge to the cloud and on-site systems.

In addition to security, the convergence of IT and OT systems is also a major challenge for companies using IoT. The continued use of legacy systems in both worlds can slow down integration and mobility. Service providers are therefore combining their industry and IT expertise to develop convergent systems.

According to the study, service providers are also helping companies use artificial intelligence (AI) in IoT systems, including at the edge. AI can help IoT systems better process large amounts of data, with service providers often offering individually configured AIOps systems for specific customer requirements.

The report sees growing interest in 5G network technologies as an opportunity for IoT networking, but some mobile network operators will need to decommission older networks to make room for 5G.