GSMA IoT Connection Efficiency Guidelines

Avoiding Chaos – Enabling developers to build efficient IoT devices and applications

In most Internet of Things scenarios IoT device firmware and software play a significant part in determining the overall performance and behavior of the IoT service on the mobile network.
The predicted large scale growth of IoT devices and applications will create major challenges for the IoT ecosystem. One major challenge that the ecosystem must overcome is the risk caused by the mass deployment of inefficient, insecure or defective IoT devices which may lead to serious problems such as:

  • Local issues within the mobile network, such as cell congestion.
  • Capacity and performance problems within the mobile network’s core network, such as signalling storms, which result in wide area disruption.
  • Degradation of IoT service performance, potentially resulting in delayed communications, degradation of the service quality and even complete service outages.
  • Increased power consumption of the IoT devices due to unintelligent communication error handing which may reduce device lifetime.

Mobile network resources are dimensioned assuming a ‘generalised’ device usage profile with a sensible balance between traffic and signalling. It is important that IoT devices using mobile networks adhere to some basic principles before they can be safely connected to mobile networks.

The GSMA has worked with its ecosystem partners to establish the GSMA IoT Device Connection Efficiency Guidelines for how machines should communicate via the mobile network in the most intelligent and efficient way. The connectivity of billions of IoT devices in a scalable network depends on all stakeholders following a common approach, ensuring everyone can enjoy the benefits of efficient connectivity.

The GSMA has also recently published a supplementary IoT Device Connection Efficiency Test Cases document which outlines the test cases that need to be passed by an IoT device in order for it to be considered compliant with the requirements stated within the Connection Efficiency Guidelines.

Download the GSMA IoT Connection Efficiency Guidelines

 

Related Resources

Connection Efficiency Guidelines Dinner

Video

Saturday 28 Feb 2015 | IoT Security |

On Wednesday 26th November, seven of the key contributors to the GSMA Connection Efficiency Guidelines gathered at London’s Soho House to be interviewed about why the Guidelines are instrumental in creating the right ...

 

Company-specific Advice
IoT Device Makers

The predicted large scale growth of IoT devices and their associated IoT device applications will create major challenges for the entire IoT ecosystem.

In IoT scenarios, IoT device firmware and software play a significant part in determining the overall performance and behaviour of the IoT service on the mobile network. With no human intervention to fall back upon, the mechanisms that manage recovery from IoT service failure need to be built into IoT devices.

IoT device makers are expected to implement the requirements contained within the GSMA connection efficiency guidelines in the IoT devices that they manufacture.  The IoT device maker should work with their IoT Application developer, communication module vendor and Radio Baseband Chipset vendor partners to implement the requirements contained within the GSMA connection efficiency guidelines. The IoT device maker should reference the GSMA connection efficiency guidelines in the supply contracts they place with their IoT Application developer, communication module vendor and radio baseband chipset vendor partners.

IoT Service Providers

The predicted large scale growth of IoT devices and their associated IoT device applications will create major challenges for the entire IoT ecosystem.

In IoT scenarios, IoT device firmware and software play a significant part in determining the overall performance and behaviour of the IoT service on the mobile network. With no human intervention to fall back upon, the mechanisms that manage recovery from IoT service failure need to be built into IoT devices.

The GSMA encourages IoT Service Providers to ensure that their IoT services and their IoT device makers conform to the requirements stated within the GSMA connection efficiency guidelines. The IoT Service Provider should reference the GSMA connection efficiency guidelines in the supply contracts they place with their IoT device makers.

IoT Device Application Developers

IoT Device Application Requirements The predicted large scale growth of IoT devices and their associated IoT device applications will create major challenges for the entire IoT ecosystem.In IoT scenarios, IoT device firmware and software play a significant part in determining the overall performance and behaviour of the IoT service on the mobile network. With no human intervention to fall back upon, the mechanisms that manage recovery from IoT service failure need to be built into IoT devices.The IoT device application developer shall ensure that their IoT device application conforms to the requirements stated within the GSMA connection efficiency guidelines.

Network Operators

The predicted large scale growth of IoT devices and their associated IoT device applications will create major challenges for the entire IoT ecosystem.In IoT scenarios, IoT device firmware and software play a significant part in determining the overall performance and behaviour of the IoT service on the mobile network. With no human intervention to fall back upon, the mechanisms that manage recovery from IoT service failure need to be built into IoT devices.The GSMA encourages mobile network operators to promote the use of the requirements contained within the GSMA connection efficiency guidelines. Mobile network operators should make commercially reasonable efforts to reference the GSMA connection efficiency guidelines in the connectivity contracts they agree with their IoT Service Providers.

Communication Module Requirements

The predicted large scale growth of IoT devices and their associated IoT device applications will create major challenges for entire IoT ecosystem.In IoT scenarios, IoT device firmware and software play a significant part in determining the overall performance and behaviour of the IoT service on the mobile network. With no human intervention to fall back upon, the mechanisms that manage recovery from IoT service failure need to be built into IoT devices.The communication module vendor shall ensure that their communication modules conform to the requirements stated within the GSMA connection efficiency guidelines.

Radio Policy Manager Requirements

The predicted large scale growth of IoT devices and their associated IoT device applications will create major challenges for entire IoT ecosystem.In IoT scenarios, IoT device firmware and software play a significant part in determining the overall performance and behaviour of the IoT service on the mobile network. With no human intervention to fall back upon, the mechanisms that manage recovery from IoT service failure need to be built into IoT devices.The radio baseband chipset vendor shall ensure that their radio baseband chipsets conform to the requirements stated within the GSMA connection efficiency guidelines.