Ofcom wants the U.K.’s Internet of Things (IoT) market to flourish, so it has issued a statement outlining an appropriate regulatory framework that it helps will foster its development.
The telco watchdog said that 40 million IoT devices are already up and running in the U.K., and it expects an eight-fold increase in this figure by 2022. Ofcom said it wants to provide suitable tools and infrastructure so as not to hinder the IoT’s growth.
"The Internet of Things will bring benefits to a range of sectors and could change the way we live our lives," said Steve Unger, acting CEO of Ofcom, on Tuesday. "As a result of this growth, we have listened closely to industry and want to develop a framework for this technology to evolve in a way which will ultimately benefit citizens and consumers."
Ofcom’s consultation seeks input on four key areas: spectrum availability, data privacy, network security and resilience, and network addressing systems.
In terms of industry verticals, Ofcom sees opportunities in transport, healthcare, energy, asset tracking and smart cities, in particular.
"The IoT also has the potential to bring wider benefits to the U.K. as a whole, by enabling growth and innovation in the economy. It is already stimulating the development of a range of innovative new technologies and devices; and U.K.-based companies are in the process of making significant investments in IoT networks," said Ofcom’s consultation document.
Indeed, infrastructure provider Arqiva has begun switching on its nationwide IoT network, which is based on ultra-narrowband technology developed by SigFox that runs on unlicensed spectrum.
Incumbent BT has partnered with machine-to-machine (M2M) specialist Neul to build an open access metro network in Milton Keynes to be used as an M2M and IoT services test bed.
Meanwhile, the government has earmarked £73 million to fund IoT research.
