Number of large IoT projects 'doubles'
In the past 12 months, the number of firms with over 50,000 connected devices has doubled, according to new research released by Vodafone.
The recent survey found that 84 per cent of companies had increased their IoT use in the past 12 months, with just over half of respondents stating that the technology has boosted their profits or helped their company grow further.
Two thirds of respondents also suggested that they feel digital transformation of their business would not be possible without the integration of the IoT.
As part of the survey, Vodafone also looked at the demands increased IoT projects could have on other areas within IT departments. Specifically, the report revealed that the change resulting in an increase in connectivity requirements, with many companies looking into the use of a mix of technologies to support their projects, such as fixed line or wide area networks (WAN).
For instance, the study showed that 28 per cent of companies hosting large scale projects were considering the use of new technologies such as low power wide area networks (LP-WAN) to support their growth. Mobile and WiFi connectivity options were also found to be particularly popular among larger firms.
However, the report revealed that one of the largest problems facing companies who wish to boost their number of IoT projects is security, with organisations reportedly taking greater steps to tackle the issue such as increased training.
Despite these concerns, the research found that of those companies with more than 10,000 connected devices, only seven per cent state that security is their top concern.
Commenting on the results of the report, director of IoT for Vodafone Erik Brenneis said: "Over the five years of this report we have seen the number of companies that have adopted IoT double, and projects have grown from small pilots to global rollouts of tens of thousands of connected devices."
Mr Brenneis added: "IoT is clearly here to stay and the future looks exciting as 79% of adopters are saying that IoT will have an enormous impact on the whole economy in the next five years."
