In a joint announcement, AT&T and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have made public a set of new joint Internet of Things (IoT) solutions initiatives designed to enable businesses to better compete in a data-driven world. The solutions were announced at the annual AWS re:Invent 2017 Conference. The two companies said they are collaborating to make it easier for enterprise customers to deploy IoT solutions, with the goal of helping businesses to improve operations and manage large numbers of devices worldwide.
“These new solutions bring enterprise customers best-in-breed solutions to manage IoT assets wherever they are,” said Mike Troiano, VP, Internet of Things Solutions, AT&T. “We’re pleased to build upon our longstanding relationship with AWS to deliver these new features to business customers through the IoT and cloud.”
LTE-M Button
AT&T and AWS are collaborating on a cellular LTE-M Button that operates on AT&T’s nationwide LTE-M network and uses the newly announced AWS IoT 1-Click service. Such activities as ordering office supplies or submitting service requests will be as simple as the push of a button.
“We have a great strategic relationship with AT&T, especially our aligned focus to make IoT solutions simple,” said Dirk Didascalou, VP, IoT, Amazon Web Services. “The AT&T LTE-M Button supported on the newly announced AWS IoT 1-Click service is a great example of how our customers can use AWS Lambda and AWS IoT with minimal configuration to achieve business results. We look forward to our continued work with AT&T to drive innovation and help customers with their IoT applications.”
Anticipated to be available in early 2018, the LTE-M Button is designed to be easy to configure and deploy without the need for Wi-Fi, and is designed for enterprises and developers to integrate operations/workflows with AWS IoT, AWS Lambda, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon Simple Notification Service (Amazon SNS), and many other AWS solutions.
AT&T reportedly is offering a promotional price of $29.99 per LTE-M Button for the first 5,000 LTE-M Buttons sold, starting in the first quarter of 2018.2
Certificates on SIM
AT&T also is working with G+D Mobile Security to develop a solution that secures device to cloud connectivity using AWS certificates stored inside SIMs during production. Required for communicating with the AWS cloud, the keys are used to encrypt data sessions between the device and AWS services.
Device manufacturers will be able to utilize the keys and credentials embedded on the SIM to authenticate to AWS IoT. Device manufacturers can manage and update (over the air) the certificates. New certificates are downloaded remotely for highly secure and efficient management of devices in the field.
Additional AT&T-AWS Collaboration
AT&T will soon launch an AT&T IoT OBDII Kit that provides AWS customers with access to the AT&T Asset Management Operations Center (AMOC). AMOC provides AWS customers with a packaged solution to monitor equipment, vehicles and enterprise assets via AWS.
AT&T Asset Management Operations Center for AWS and the AT&T IoT OBDII Kit will be available via AT&T’s IoT Marketplace, a comprehensive online resource for businesses to purchase and provision IoT solutions. The AT&T IoT Starter Kit is available for sale on amazon.com. The LTE-M Button and Certificates on SIM are also expected to be available on the AT&T IoT Marketplace.
Ken Briodagh is a writer and editor with more than a decade of experience under his belt. He is in love with technology and if he had his druthers would beta test everything from shoe phones to flying cars.Edited by
Ken Briodagh
