Independent Research Firm Recommends 3GPP Mobile Broadband for Connected Devices

BELLEVUE, WA--(Marketwire - Oct 12, 2011) - With more than 5.75 billion mobile devices in service across the globe -- including more than 5.2 billion 3GPP devices -- mobile telephony is the most dominant form of communication on the planet. Emerging wireless networking technologies are creating a new connected future and, according to a recent report by Yankee Group, the 3GPP family of technologies serves as an ideal foundation for developing a future-proof road map for connected devices. 4G Americas, a wireless industry trade association representing the 3GPP family of technologies, today announced the publication of the Yankee Group white paper, Mobile Broadband Connected Future: From Billions of People to Billions of Things.

The independent report, commissioned by 4G Americas, examines two key areas essential to strategic, business and technology planning for device OEMs, chipset manufacturers, mobile operator, mobile infrastructure vendors, solution providers, vertical enterprise industries, horizontal consumer and enterprise industries and other industry ecosystem participants in the future connected world: 1) Why embed mobility? and 2) What is the right technology to embed in connected devices?

"Future expectations are that anything with an on and off switch will be wirelessly connected -- and already we are seeing vertical industry applications that are successfully transforming businesses, even those without switches, such as a mousetrap," stated Vicki Livingston, Head of Communications and Analyst Relations at 4G Americas. "One of the simplest of devices -- the mousetrap -- is now available as a wirelessly connected device that alerts exterminators saving valuable time and resources. The future vision that includes up to 50 billion connected things by 2020 is not as elusive as it may initially sound."

The Yankee Group report confirms that the future will be dependent upon connectivity. By embedding cellular connectivity into their devices, OEMs differentiate their brands and keep consumers happy. According to Yankee Group surveys, more than 69 percent of consumers demand ubiquitous connectivity, and 88 percent want connectivity at broadband speeds. According to the report, the following trends have led industry players and end-users across the value chain toward embedded connectivity:

• Consumers demand a compelling customer experience.
• Consumers demand connectivity at all times.
• Device manufacturers can target new segments of the consumer population.
• Network providers can monetize new services.
• Businesses can gain a competitive advantage over their peers.

In addition, the Yankee Group report concludes that connected device deployments enjoy clear benefits from the use of 3GPP (GSM-LTE) technologies from the individual device level through to the network infrastructure. OEMs moving to embed their devices will need to choose a scalable, cost-effective and high-bandwidth network technology and the 3GPP family of technologies outmuscles its peers across the following characteristics:

• The 3GPP family of technologies provides a scalable option for connectivity. 3GPP technologies assure global roaming capabilities for connected assets that cross borders. More than 800 operators around the world use 3GPP technologies to connect over 5.2 billion people. No other network standard boasts the same global scale.
  
  
• 3GPP modules are cost-effective. Pervasive GSM networks allow 3GPP module manufacturers to scale production across large volumes. Connected device solutions involve large volumes of modules, and even small hardware price advantages can add up to a significantly decreased TCO across a deployment.
  
  
• The 3GPP family of technologies offers the most flexible range of high- and low-bandwidth network options. Every M2M application has unique bandwidth and latency needs. Bursty SMS apps can fare well on GPRS or GSM networks. But the 3GPP family of technologies also offers low-latency HSPA+ and LTE coverage for higher-bandwidth applications in the fleet management, security and digital signage verticals. More than 400 networks in 152 countries provide service using HSPA and HSPA+ technologies.
  
  

Mobile Broadband Connected Future: From Billions of People to Billions of Things includes connected device research on the business case, lowering barriers to entry in wireless connectivity, standards development, technology benefits for devices including latency and throughput speeds and also provides applications and use cases of several key vertical and horizontal industries, including fleet telematics, energy, mHealth, digital signage, "connected car" telematics, education and consumer electronics.

"Yankee Group has conducted research on the emerging devices and connected devices category and, although the business model has been present for more than a decade, it is still in a nascent stage," said Eugene Signorini, Vice President of Yankee Group and lead researcher on the report. "That stage is quickly changing as the world is opening many industries and devices to a new level of connectivity. Our research shows that the benefits of the 3GPP technologies are right for successful M2M and other enterprise and consumer devices across virtually all horizontal and vertical industries."

The Yankee Group white paper, Mobile Broadband Connected Future: From Billions of People to Billions of Things (October 2011), and a corresponding slide presentation is available for free download at: www.4gamericas.org.

About 4G Americas: Unifying the Americas through Mobile Broadband Technology
4G Americas is an industry trade organization composed of leading telecommunications service providers and manufacturers. The organization's mission is to promote, facilitate and advocate for the deployment and adoption of the 3GPP family of technologies throughout the Americas. 4G Americas contributes to the successful commercial rollout of 3GPP mobile broadband technologies across the Americas and their place as the No. 1 technology family in the region. The organization aims to develop the expansive wireless ecosystem of networks, devices, and applications enabled by GSM and its evolution to LTE. 4G Americas is headquartered in Bellevue, Wash., with an office for Latin America and the Caribbean in Dallas. More information is available at www.4gamericas.org.

4G Americas' Board of Governors members include: Alcatel-Lucent, América Móvil, AT&T, Cable & Wireless, CommScope, Ericsson, Gemalto, HP, Huawei, Nokia Siemens Networks, Openwave, Powerwave, Qualcomm, Research In Motion (RIM), Rogers, T-Mobile USA and Telefónica.