EU officials and industry stakeholders gathered together at the IoT Dinner Debate hosted by the GSMA on 4 October in Brussels. The debate explored the IoT’s potential to accelerate the digital revolution.
During the dinner debate, participants agreed that the Internet of Things (IoT) is about a lot more than just connecting everything: it is also about reorganizing the economy. Thibaut Kleiner, Deputy Head of Cabinet of the Digital Economy and Society at the European Commission, spoke about a ‘Human-centred’ IoT, which respects European values and empowers people through high standards of protection of personal data.
Dominique Bonte, an analyst at ABI Research, explained how the IoT has the potential to promote an industrial revolution. For example, he contended that in the automotive and transportation sectors, the mobility-as-a-service (Maas) market will be worth US$1 trillion by 2030, as it transforms the way we move and impacts aviation, public and private transport, as well as car ownership habits and trends.
Jorge Morillo Gallego, senior regulatory manager at Telefónica, welcomed the EU’s flexible approach to the IoT and support for industry-led initiatives. However, he warned against the risks of opening numbering resources to undertakings other than electronic communication providers. Freddie McBride, numbering expert at CEPT, the umbrella body for EU numbering plan administrators, reassured Morillo, by stressing that numbering plan managers value stability and control of these scarce resources. Finally, Fredrik Östbye, VP at Telenor Connexion, explained how Telenor’s model of creating an IoT start-up within the company is proving very effective in promoting innovation and focusing on real customer needs.