Is Mexico Ready for IoT?
By Kelly King, Chief Executive Officer, AT&T in Mexico
The next wave of disruption will come with the large scale adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT). Its potential to transform industries and economies at a fast pace is evident. Are we ready for it?
According to a study by the Competitive Intelligence Unit[1], Mexico is behind in terms of IoT penetration, placing 18th out of 24 countries, behind North Korea and Brazil. However, Mexico has an economy with untapped potential for IoT. In fact, researchers such as Statista predict that the IoT market in Mexico will reach a 4 billion dollar value in 2017, a 17.5% increase year over year[2].
We believe the growing demand for the next generation of mobile internet will be an engine of economic growth in the country. As we integrate IoT in Mexico, we are connecting and mobilizing people, processes and information. At AT&T we understand that connected devices lead to real-time data collection resulting in better informed decisions. IoT’s potential is limitless. Our objective for implementing IoT is to simplify and improve the country through connectivity.
Given this context, the biggest challenge to embrace IoT is to break free from the fear of change, to better understand and to become more knowledgeable about the transformation technology is bringing, particularly for the business world.
Helping companies increase productivity with revolutionary technology is not new to AT&T. Globally, we serve nearly 3.5 million business, including almost all of the Fortune 1000 companies across all major industries, and we connect nearly 34 million devices around the world. At AT&T, we are ready to evolve and become a solutions provider for small, medium and large businesses in Mexico.
In fact, by the end of 2017 we plan to deploy a fully dedicated network for IoT called LTE-M. This network will work across Mexico and the rest of North America to create a LTE-M footprint. This network will help deploy IoT on a large scale through lower-cost modules, longer battery life devices (up to 10 years), and better coverage indoors and underground. Connecting these devices is an important step as we help build a truly connected world.
I have no doubt Mexico is ready for IoT. The journey will require change agents who are willing to accelerate their businesses and industries through technology.
At AT&T we want to be part of this transformation. That is why we recently opened our first
Enterprise Experience Center (CXE) in Latin-America, focused on IoT, Cybersecurity and Software Defined Network (SDN) solutions. We want visitors to embrace disruption, technology and innovation to help their businesses grow and diversify. Think of the potential of a smart city, a connected fleet or a smart building.
We firmly believe connectivity can help societies and economies compete on a global scale. The first step in your hands. Learn and embrace the technology that will accelerate your business. Now it’s time for something better!
[1] The Competitive Intelligence Unit, Estado del Internet de las Cosas (IoT) en México. May 13th, 2016.
[2] Statista, The Statistics Portal, Value of the Internet of Things (IoT) market in Mexico in 2016 and 2017: https://www.statista.com/statistics/715121/iot-market-value-mexico/