Providing a Global IoT Connectivity Solution | OptConnect's Chris Baird | Internet of Things Podcast

In this episode of the IoT For All Podcast, Nick Earle, CEO of Eseye, joins Ryan Chacon to discuss the state of IoT adoption and challenges facing the industry. The conversation covers Eseye's 2024 State of IoT Adoption Report, emerging IoT use cases, IoT device firmware, SGP.32, Amazon's ambitious 'Amazon Key' project, IoT initiatives in Africa, and predictions for IoT in 2025. 2024 State of IoT Adoption Report: https://www.iotforall.com/white-paper/eseye-2024-state-of-iot-adoption-report Nick Earle is the CEO of Eseye where he spearheads Eseye’s strategy. He firmly believes in connectivity that ‘just works.' He’s a visionary business leader with a distinguished career in technology spanning more than 30 years, oscillating between start-ups and global technology corporations. Previously, Nick led organizations and cross-company transformation programs for two $50B global corporations; Cisco where he ran the Cloud and Managed Services business as well as their Worldwide Field Services function, and Hewlett Packard where he ran the global Enterprise Marketing function and the internet transformation strategy. As a world leader in IoT connectivity solutions, Eseye helps customers to realize lasting value from global IoT projects. They bring the deep device expertise needed to integrate, manage, and optimize IoT connectivity for estates of any scale or complexity, seamlessly connecting devices across 190 countries and more than 700 networks. All with near-100% uptime. Discover more about IoT at https://www.iotforall.com More about Eseye: https://www.eseye.com Connect with Nick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nearle/ Our sponsor: https://www.qoitech.com (00:00) Qoitech (00:35) Intro (00:49) Nick Earle and Eseye (01:16) The state of IoT adoption (05:12) Challenges in IoT connectivity (09:39) What makes connectivity a challenge? (14:30) Device firmware and security (18:02) Predictions for IoT in 2025 (22:57) SGP.32 standard (27:32) Emerging IoT use cases (33:52) Learn more and follow up Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NlcEwm​ Join Our Newsletter: https://www.iotforall.com/iot-newsletter Follow Us on Social: https://linktr.ee/iot4all Check out the IoT For All Media Network: https://www.iotforall.com/podcast-overview

In this episode of IoT For All Podcast, Jason Dietrich, Chief Revenue Officer at KORE, joins Ryan Chacon to discuss the IoT ecosystem and IoT for good. The conversation covers the evolution and future of the IoT ecosystem, the importance of standardized connectivity and managed services, the challenge of fragmentation, choosing the right connectivity partner, the economic viability of IoT solutions, monetizing IoT services, and sustaining business growth while providing social and environmental benefits. Jason Dietrich serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer at KORE. He brings over 25 years of experience driving high growth software and hardware companies in the manufacturing and IoT space. At KORE, Jason leads the global sales and marketing functions with the goal of capturing the tremendous opportunity that exists in the rapidly growing market for IoT and connectivity use cases. Jason holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a MBA from Lehigh University. KORE is a pioneer, leader, and trusted advisor delivering mission critical IoT solutions and services. They empower organizations of all sizes to improve operational and business results by simplifying the complexity of IoT. Their deep IoT knowledge and experience, global reach, purpose-built solutions, and deployment agility accelerate and materially impact their customers’ business outcomes. Discover more about IoT at https://www.iotforall.com More about KORE: https://www.korewireless.com Connect with Jason: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-dietrich-0b12416/ (00:00) Intro (00:15) Jason Dietrich and KORE (02:17) Evolution of the IoT ecosystem (05:13) The challenge of fragmentation (09:53) Choosing the right connectivity partner (13:01) Future of the IoT ecosystem (14:16) Economic viability of IoT solutions (17:41) Monetizing IoT services (19:03) IoT for Good initiatives (23:33) KORE's future and strategic focus (24:52) Learn more and follow up Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NlcEwm​ Join Our Newsletter: https://www.iotforall.com/iot-newsletter Follow Us on Social: https://linktr.ee/iot4all Check out the IoT For All Media Network: https://www.iotforall.com/podcast-overview

In this episode of the IoT For All Podcast, Chris Baird, President and CEO of OptConnect, joins Ryan Chacon to discuss what it takes to provide a global IoT connectivity solution. The conversation covers the role of managed services in simplifying complex deployments, acquisitions and consolidation in IoT, the challenges and benefits of global expansion, connectivity in different regions, supply chain management, satellite connectivity, 4G and 5G, and innovation in IoT. Chris Baird started at OptConnect in 2009 as an ATM repair specialist and worked his way up through the ranks into leadership and management roles. After years of hard work and dedicated leadership, Chris was appointed CEO of OptConnect in October of 2018. His various roles within the company over the years have given him deep knowledge and experience of the connectivity business while also giving him a unique ability to relate to what each employee is asked to do, what challenges exist, and how to best empower each employee to be successful. Since its founding in 2009, OptConnect has emerged as a leading provider of cellular connectivity services for a wide variety of industries and applications, including security systems, ATMs, wireless kiosks, micro markets, smart safes, digital signage, parking and mobility, irrigation systems, and many other M2M applications. Many thousands of customers across the globe rely on OptConnect for its ‘easy button’ approach, plug-and-play hardware, managed services, and world-class customer care. Discover more about IoT at https://www.iotforall.com More about OptConnect: https://optconnect.com Connect with Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-baird-85833232/ (00:00) Intro (00:13) Chris Baird and OptConnect (03:20) Global expansion and maintaining connectivity (06:16) Consolidation and acquisitions (08:58) Connectivity in different regions (11:18) The value of managed services (17:39) Challenges of global expansion (20:10) Remote connectivity and satellite IoT (23:17) Learn more and follow up Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NlcEwm​ Join Our Newsletter: https://www.iotforall.com/iot-newsletter Follow Us on Social: https://linktr.ee/iot4all Check out the IoT For All Media Network: https://www.iotforall.com/podcast-overview

In this episode of the IoT For All Podcast, Matt Hatton, Founding Partner at Transforma Insights, joins Ryan Chacon to discuss trends and strategies in IoT connectivity. The conversation covers Transforma Insights' annual report, the Communications Service Provider (CSP) IoT Peer Benchmarking 2024, the shift towards device-to-cloud solutions, the impact of price erosion, the demand for consulting in IoT, satellite IoT and Starlink, permanent roaming and compliance, IoT regulations, SGP.32, and the growing importance of voice services in IoT applications. Read the CSP IoT Peer Benchmarking 2024 report: https://transformainsights.com/research/reports/csp-iot-peer-benchmarking-2024 Matt Hatton is a Founding Partner at Transforma Insights. He is a well-respected commentator and technology industry expert with 25 years of experience at the cutting edge of technology research and consulting. Previously, he was Founder and CEO of Machina Research, which was acquired by Gartner in 2016. Prior to Machina Research, Matt was a technology industry analyst, working at firms such as Analysys Mason and Yankee Group. Matt holds an MSc in Telecoms from University College London. Transforma Insights is a leading research firm focused on the world of IoT, AI, and Digital Transformation. Led by seasoned technology industry analysts, they provide advice, recommendations, and decision support tools for organizations seeking to understand how new technologies will change the markets in which they operate. Discover more about IoT at https://www.iotforall.com More about Transforma Insights: https://transformainsights.com Connect with Matt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthatton/ (00:00) Intro (00:12) Matt Hatton and Transforma Insights (00:42) CSP IoT Peer Benchmarking 2024 learnings (13:06) When will satellite IoT take off? (15:20) How many satellite IoT companies do we need? (18:02) Standing out as an IoT connectivity company (22:39) Is connectivity still part of solutions? (24:30) Voice services and SGP.32 (29:10) IoT regulations Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NlcEwm​ Join Our Newsletter: https://www.iotforall.com/iot-newsletter Follow Us on Social: https://linktr.ee/iot4all Check out the IoT For All Media Network: https://www.iotforall.com/podcast-overview

In this episode of the IoT For All Podcast, Ramtin Massoumzadeh, co-founder and CEO of Quandify, joins Ryan Chacon to discuss IoT for smart water management. The conversation covers the limitations of analog water metering, the use of LoRaWAN for connectivity, real-world water management solutions in residential buildings and camping sites, water awareness and conservation, the adoption process for building owners and managers, and the future potential of IoT in water management. Ramtin Massoumzadeh leads a team of engineers and entrepreneurs who are passionate about creating smart and sustainable solutions for water consumption. He leverages the latest in technology to develop embedded mechatronic systems that communicate with web interfaces and smartphones to inform users about their water usage and environmental impact. His vision is to pave the way for a more sustainable planet. Quandify leads the way in revolutionizing water metering and leak prevention with patented state-of-the-art technologies. Their seamless integration of cutting-edge hardware and software solutions pushes the boundaries of water management possibilities. Their focus is on delivering smart products that make water management easy by digitalizing water management to promote sustainable water usage and empower customers to manage their water consumption effectively. The result is an up to 30% decrease in water usage on average and thus an energy usage reduction of 8-16%, paving the way for both sustainability and cost efficiency. Discover more about IoT at https://www.iotforall.com More about Quandify: https://quandify.com Connect with Ramtin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramtinmass/ (00:00) Intro (00:09) Ramtin Massoumzadeh and Quandify (00:53) How has water metering been done traditionally? (02:52) Problems in water metering and leak detection (05:06) IoT for smart water management (06:23) IoT adoption process for building owners (08:24) Implementation challenges (09:58) What is the typical ROI and feedback? (10:51) How easy is it to set up a smart water solution? (11:17) Potential to expand smart water solutions (12:24) Real-world example of smart water management (14:25) Learn more and follow up Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NlcEwm​ Join Our Newsletter: https://www.iotforall.com/iot-newsletter Follow Us on Social: https://linktr.ee/iot4all Check out the IoT For All Media Network: https://www.iotforall.com/podcast-overview

On this episode of the IoT For All Podcast, Barry Haughian, Global VP for IoT Services at Intellias, joins Ryan Chacon to discuss AI, digital twins, and cutting through the hype. The conversation also covers key trends in IoT across industries, the evolution of IoT from horizontal platforms to vertical solutions, focusing on business value over technology, and AIoT and digital twins in construction and agriculture. Barry Haughian has 30 years of experience in software and hardware development with a background in IoT, telecommunications, and AI. He has designed, developed, and launched multiple global IoT platforms that have connected over 100 million devices. He has built solutions for numerous verticals including Energy, Telco, Fintech, Automotive, Agriculture, Government, and Health. He is the author of Design, Launch, and Scale IoT: A Practical Business Approach. Intellias is a global software engineering and digital consulting company and a trusted technology partner to top-tier organizations that helps accelerate the pace of sustainable digitalization. They empower businesses operating in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia to embrace innovation at scale. For more than 20 years, Intellias has been building mission-critical projects and delivering measurable outcomes to ensure lasting change for their clients. They are contributing to the success of the world’s leading brands that include HERE Technologies, Rand McNally, TomTom, HelloFresh, and Travis Perkins. Discover more about AI and IoT at https://www.iotforall.com More about Intellias: https://intellias.com Connect with Barry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finbarhaughian/ (00:00) Intro (00:10) Barry Haughian and Intellias (00:53) Key trends in IoT across industries (02:24) Digital twins and challenges (04:19) What industries use digital twins? (05:17) IoT in construction (08:35) The impact of AI (10:38) AIoT adoption in agriculture (12:14) Focusing on business value (14:13) The evolution of IoT solutions (18:13) Cutting through the AI hype (23:46) Learn more and follow up Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NlcEwm​ Join Our Newsletter: https://www.iotforall.com/iot-newsletter Follow Us on Social: https://linktr.ee/iot4all Check out the IoT For All Media Network: https://www.iotforall.com/podcast-overview

In this episode of the IoT For All Podcast, Simon Ford, CEO of Blecon, joins Ryan Chacon to discuss using Bluetooth Low Energy for IoT connectivity. The conversation covers the advantages and challenges of Bluetooth Low Energy, the role of BLE in edge AI, energy scavenging, and other IoT trends, the pragmatic deployment of IoT solutions, and insights into the future of BLE and how it aligns with enterprise requirements. Simon Ford is the founder and CEO of Blecon, a company enabling low-cost cloud connectivity for engineering diagnostics, product analytics, and sensor data using Bluetooth Low Energy. Simon has over 20 years of industry experience in microelectronics, mobile, and IoT, with a strong focus on providing technology to developers. He founded ARM’s embed OS to help launch ARM Cortex-M to market alongside other developer technologies such as CMSIS-DAP, DAPLink, and pyOCD, and was technical lead for the ARMv7/NEON architecture used to launch the smartphone revolution. Blecon enables physical products to communicate with cloud applications using Bluetooth Low Energy. Founded in 2021 and headquartered in the UK, Blecon combines the inherent benefits of BLE with the deployment model of WiFi and the network model of cellular to achieve low-cost and low-power IoT connectivity. With its flexible architecture and ease of integration, Blecon democratizes access to Bluetooth Low Energy IoT connectivity. Discover more about Bluetooth and IoT at https://www.iotforall.com More about Blecon: https://www.blecon.net Connect with Simon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonford/ (00:00) Intro (00:10) Simon Ford and Blecon (00:33) What is Bluetooth Low Energy? (03:19) Bluetooth Low Energy use cases (07:37) Challenges of Bluetooth Low Energy (10:33) How does BLE relate to other IoT trends? (13:58) Future developments in Bluetooth and IoT (16:33) Learn more and follow up Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NlcEwm​ Join Our Newsletter: https://www.iotforall.com/iot-newsletter Follow Us on Social: https://linktr.ee/iot4all Check out the IoT For All Media Network: https://www.iotforall.com/podcast-overview

In this episode of the IoT For All Podcast, Utpal Mangla from IBM Cloud joins Ryan Chacon to discuss successfully deploying an IoT solution. The conversation covers the critical role of partnerships in the IoT industry, the challenges enterprises face when adopting IoT solutions, especially in achieving ROI, how different industries are navigating these challenges, overcoming legacy infrastructure, stakeholder alignment, the role of edge computing and 5G in accelerating IoT adoption, actionable advice on moving from proof of concept to deployment, and leveraging hybrid cloud solutions for scalable IoT implementations. Utpal Mangla is a General Manager responsible for Distributed, Edge, Sovereign Cloud & Partnerships at IBM Cloud. Previously, he was a VP and Senior Partner in IBM. He is a recognized leader in IBM’s Telecommunications, Media and Entertainment (TME) industry. He is focused on driving AI, 5G, edge, hybrid cloud, and automation for IBM’s clients worldwide. Utpal is a regular speaker at industry forums, universities, and business conferences globally. He has been quoted in Fortune, Forbes, Cognitive World, Bloomberg TV, and MWC. IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud, AI, and consulting expertise. They help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs, and gain the competitive edge in their industries. More than 4,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications, and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently, and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions, and consulting deliver open and flexible options to their clients. Discover more about IoT at https://www.iotforall.com More about IBM Cloud: https://www.ibm.com/cloud Connect with Utpal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/utpal-mangla-b748541/ (00:00) Intro (00:12) Utpal Mangla and IBM (00:40) IBM's partner ecosystem (01:32) Biggest IoT deployment challenges (02:51) Which industries face the most challenges? (04:12) Overcoming legacy infrastructure (07:13) How to go from proof of concept to deployment (11:32) Defining a successful IoT deployment (12:35) The role of partners in IoT deployments (15:08) What is the impact of edge computing? (16:56) Demand for IoT and AI (19:04) Learn more and follow up Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NlcEwm​ Join Our Newsletter: https://www.iotforall.com/iot-newsletter Follow Us on Social: https://linktr.ee/iot4all Check out the IoT For All Media Network: https://www.iotforall.com/podcast-overview

In this episode of the IoT For All Podcast, Ewam de Freitas, Chief Product Officer at Veea, joins Ryan Chacon to discuss the role of IoT and edge computing in precision farming. The conversation also covers providing connectivity in underserved and remote communities, edge computing use cases, the role of IoT in edge computing, energy optimization, the challenges of edge computing, and securing edge devices. Ewam de Freitas is Chief Product Officer at Veea. Previously, Ewam led the product team for Liberty Latin America with responsibilities across 20 consumer markets delivering mobile, cloud, high-speed connectivity, and entertainment products. Ewam held product and technology leadership roles at Level 3, Charter, and Comcast. He has multiple patents in network-based security methods to strengthen streaming and digital consumer services. Ewam received a B.S. in Biology from James Madison University and completed executive education programs at Daniels College of Business and Ross School of Business. Veea makes edge computing simpler. By integrating connectivity, processing technologies, and containerized secure applications within an easily deployed solution, the Veea Edge Platform provides a quick and easy way to tap into the power and benefits of edge computing, where and when needed. Veea unifies edge computing solutions to hyper-connect underserved populations, smart spaces, retail, and private edge-to-cloud for B2B and B2B2C use cases. Veea’s virtualized software environments distribute control, decisions, and resources across every type of network. Veea works with enterprise customers, government agencies, channel partners, and system integrators. Headquartered in New York City, Veea employees worldwide are committed to connecting everything from smart farms to smart cities with more resourceful approaches for a more sustainable world. Discover more about edge computing and IoT at https://www.iotforall.com More about Veea: https://www.veea.com Connect with Ewam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ewamd/ Our sponsor: https://business.teliacompany.com/internet-of-things/iot-connectivity (00:00) Sponsor (00:20) Intro (00:30) Ewam de Freitas and Veea (01:13) Bridging IoT and edge computing (02:32) Biggest industries for edge computing (05:18) Precision farming and challenges (06:18) Real-world edge computing solution (07:43) Connectivity use cases in underserved areas (09:24) IoT adoption process for rural communities (11:12) Security considerations in IoT deployments (12:45) Optimizing connectivity for different areas (15:25) New and current focus areas (16:16) Learn more and follow up Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NlcEwm​ Join Our Newsletter: https://www.iotforall.com/iot-newsletter Follow Us on Social: https://linktr.ee/iot4all Check out the IoT For All Media Network: https://www.iotforall.com/podcast-overview

In this episode of the IoT For All Podcast, Saurabh Abhyankar, Chief Product Officer at MicroStrategy, joins Ryan Chacon to discuss amplifying business intelligence with AI. The conversation covers digital transformation, the integration of AI in business intelligence tools, data accessibility, IoT as a source of data, the true value of generative AI and examples, and the implications of AI for the future. Saurabh Abhyankar has been innovating in the analytics market for 20 years and holds a number of patents in self-service analytics, the semantic graph, and HyperIntelligence. Since 2016, he has held various product leadership positions at MicroStrategy including SVP of Product Management and EVP of Marketing. Prior to joining MicroStrategy, Saurabh was the Chief Product Officer and Head of Engineering for MRI Software, a leader in technology solutions for real estate. From 2003 to 2016, Saurabh held a number of positions in Vancouver and Paris building and growing analytics products at SAP BusinessObjects. MicroStrategy (Nasdaq: MSTR) considers itself the world’s first Bitcoin development company. The MicroStrategy software business develops and provides industry-leading AI-powered enterprise analytics software that promotes their vision of Intelligence Everywhere™. Their flagship cloud-native platform, MicroStrategy ONE, is trusted by the most admired brands in the Fortune Global 500 to drive business agility, efficiency, and revenue. Discover more about AI and IoT at https://www.iotforall.com More about MicroStrategy: https://www.microstrategy.com Connect with Saurabh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saurabha/ Our sponsor: https://business.teliacompany.com/internet-of-things/iot-connectivity (00:00) Sponsor (00:20) Intro (00:30) Saurabh Abhyankar and MicroStrategy (01:04) The state of digital transformation (04:41) What is digital transformation used for? (06:32) The role of AI in business intelligence (09:31) Making data accessible and actionable (10:52) The true value of AI (12:05) Where do companies get their data? (14:45) How should companies integrate AI? (18:06) The future of AI (18:55) ChatGPT and productivity (22:58) Learn more and follow up Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NlcEwm​ Join Our Newsletter: https://www.iotforall.com/iot-newsletter Follow Us on Social: https://linktr.ee/iot4all Check out the IoT For All Media Network: https://www.iotforall.com/podcast-overview