Let’s talk about 5G IoT and how it relates to news from OQ Technology and o2 Telefónica.
As described in an IBM Smarter Strategies report, 5G is driving massive change for IoT. “The increasingly dynamic and powerful computational environment that's taking shape as businesses redesign their networks for 5G will accelerate the uptake of IoT applications and services across industries,” IBM’s Rishi Vaish and Sky Matthews wrote. This includes (but certainly isn’t limited to) remote inspection use cases in factories and for energy grids, civil infrastructure solutions, building and facilities management, smart EVs and roadways, shipping and logistics, and a lot more. Recent data from the GSMA also sheds light on how further 5G enhancements like networking slicing and both private and dedicated networks will ultimately help realize the vision of a truly interconnected IoT network.
The long-story-short of it? The hand-in-hand relationship between 5G and the Internet of Things is paving the way for faster data speeds that impact more connected devices, inspiring new threads of innovation for the years to come.
(Not to be too reductive, but that’s a pretty apt summarization.)
Enter OQ Technology and o2 Telefónica. The former is a satellite telecom operator for global IoT connectivity using 3GPP standardized 5G protocol, and it provides innovative solutions for asset tracking, fleet management, smart metering, predictive maintenance, offshore monitoring, and plenty of other applications. The latter is a mobile network operator; Telefónica now operates its businesses under the o2 brand across Spain, Germany, and the U.K. As of Dec. 31, 2022, it has served more than 44 million mobile lines while also offering other digital communications solutions.
So, the news:
Earlier this month, OQ Technology officially signed its MOU with o2 Telefónica. The expectation is that their work together will spin into motion during Q2 of 2024.
At the heart of this collaboration, OQ Technology's satellite network will integrate seamlessly with Telefónica IPX Cloud and Kite, o2 Telefónica’s renowned IoT connectivity management platform. This offers business customers real-time SIM card monitoring, among additional benefits. In turn, o2 Telefónica will offer a hybrid satellite connectivity service, powered by OQ, providing next-level global IoT network coverage. Also, by leveraging OQ’s 3GPP LEO constellation, o2 Telefónica will enhance 5G IoT connectivity for NB-IoT standards-compliant devices.
Omar Qaise, OQ’s founder and CEO, is delighted by this partnership, stating that it marks “a historic milestone on a global scale” for both companies.
Nikolaos Kalivianakis, Director of Business Solutions at o2 Telefónica, rallied to this point, as well; Kalivianakis said that this collab “highlights the potential to enhance next-gen efficiency and productivity through OQ Technology’s innovative satellite-based IoT connectivity offerings.”
Edited by
Greg Tavarez
