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This month Simon Banks talks to Cyril Deschanel, Head of Northern Europe at Vodafone Internet of Things (IoT).
Vodafone recently announced a significant partnership agreement with CSL for the next 10 years. Just how important is this?
We have been collaborating with CSL for over 20 years, supporting its pioneering work in the electronic security industry and around the integration of wireless technology into security solutions. Now, as we enter an era where anything can be connected, we have extended our collaboration further. Our renewed partnership with CSL focuses on innovation around next generation Machine to Machine M2M and the Internet of Things (IoT) with a view to bringing new capabilities to Critical Connectivity services.
IoT has become a buzz word over the recent years. What opportunities are there for Fire and Security companies here?
The Internet of Things represents an incredibly exciting technology area for all sectors but with Fire and Security we’re moving into a completely new sphere. With the ability to use 4G video surveillance and an ever increasing range of sensors it’s possible not only to detect heat and smoke but analyse water quality, air pressure and even human behavioural patterns remotely. It’s making it possible and easy for businesses to be able to know more about its assets. CSL is great example of how IoT is influencing the sector. In the UK, CSL is one of the largest users of the Vodafone Managed IoT Connectivity Platform. It has around half a million devices in the market using the service, and is adding 6,000 a month. More than 90% of these connections are focused on the Fire and Security market, from hospitals to high street retailers to private homes.
Can companies take advantage of IoT today or should they be planning for it in the future? Is it still hype?
They can certainly take advantage of IoT today. As with any new innovation area there will be a period of discovery to explore how it can be absorbed into current or future product and service development. We work closely with companies to support this process as well as the design and implementation of projects and management of assets.
Security has arguably been M2M for decades, how does IoT change this?
Quite simply, IoT encompasses a new model for connecting things. Machine to Machine and the Internet of Things have several definitions but the way we see it is that M2M was the basic communication between machines. With IoT, we’re moving to a whole series of interconnected parts to a solution such as the sensors, analytics and reporting as well as the management of remote devices. Solutions can be very simple or quite complex depending upon the task.
Vodafone has continued to invest in recent years, what are the next planned stages of development?
Vodafone sees IoT as very important growth area. We have already invested heavily in our IoT platform and the networks that support this and we will continue to do so. We’re also focused on providing endto- end solutions for a range of customers of which the security sector is key.
"Nice commercial take over completed yesterday using @CSLDualCom with monitoring through to @emcsindependent #KeepingYouSafe"
Tweeted by @kyssecurity - Sept 30
