Big name vendors back Wireless IoT Forum

The newly established Wireless IoT Forum has announced major operators and vendors Accenture, Arkessa, BT, Cisco, Telensa and WSN are its founding members and board.

The forum was set up to work on accelerating the wide scale adoption of wireless wide-area networking technologies dedicated to the Internet of Things (IoT).

More specifically, it is focused on:

• Removing fragmentation and driving consolidation around a minimal set of standards for both licenced and licence-exempt wireless solutions
• Developing a clear set of requirements through engagement with vertical end-users
• Developing a clear use-case driven roadmap for the ecosystem of technology companies, apps developers and operators

The independent, not-for-profit organisation will work with relevant stakeholders to agree on core requirements that inform and accelerate understanding, standards development and consistent, supportive regulation.

It will also work to promote and market wireless IoT to and for wireless network operators, infrastructure providers, fixed line network operators, application developers in utilities, government, and specialist SMEs, semiconductor companies, radio technology providers, module developers, system integrators and vertical end users.

"The IoT market is gathering significant momentum around the globe, with new technologies and use cases being announced daily," says William Webb, Wireless IoT Forum CEO.

"However the risk presented by fragmentation remains very real. Without widely-agreed open standards we risk seeing pockets of proprietary technology developing independently, preventing the benefits of mass-market scale.

"We are delighted today to be announcing our inaugural membership and to begin work to drive towards a collective view on the right way to deliver widespread IoT services," says Webb.

"The IoT is growing at an unrelenting pace, but it's important that the entire ecosystem co-operates around open standards in order for it to reach its full potential," says Aidan Quilligan, Accenture Digital - Mobility managing director.

"That's why it's important that the Forum works with key ecosystem members from the start, in order to create the right conditions for the mass market, without duplicating the work being done by existing standards bodies.

"Open standards represent the only way to begin the process of overcoming fragmentation in the IoT, and as part of the Forum, we will help drive this forward," he says.

Feng Guo, WSN Tech director solution centre, says, "We are excited to be a part of such a groundbreaking group of individuals and companies working together to drive the IoT agenda.

"We recognise the need for competition to create dynamic markets but also the need for collaboration when promoting and supporting standardisation and interoperability.

"These conditions are key to ensuring successful and timely IoT deployment worldwide."

The Forum's first working session was held in June 2015 and it is actively recruiting new members.