China Accounts for 27 Per Cent of Total Global M2M Connections; Close Co-operation Between Mobile Operators and Government Driving China’s M2M Leadership
9 June 2014, Shanghai: China is the global leader in the adoption of M2M technology with over 50 million connections or more than one quarter of the total M2M market in 2013, according to “How China is Set for Global M2M Leadership”, a new report issued today by the GSMA. Close collaboration between the country’s leading mobile operators China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom, state-owned enterprises and the government has enabled the market to grow dramatically in a relatively short period of time, laying the foundations for further expansion and the development of the Internet of Things (IoT).
“China is a rapidly developing country that is investing in communications technologies that will make its cities smarter and provide a better quality of life for its citizens,” said Alex Sinclair, Chief Technology Officer, GSMA. “Proactive government support has benefited China and its mobile operators, whereas in many global markets, regulatory uncertainty has held back the deployment of M2M solutions. The addressable market and the opportunity for further growth is immense, especially when one considers the sheer number of ‘things’ such as cars or domestic appliances that could potentially be connected by mobile.”
Asia is the largest regional M2M market, accounting for 40 per cent of the world’s 189 million M2M connections at the end of 2013. Asia added 55 million M2M net connections between 2010 and 2013 and China was the primary driver of growth in the region, adding nearly 39 million M2M connections during the period. Demand from the energy and transportation industries has driven much of this early growth, while M2M solutions are also gaining traction in the automotive, smart city, healthcare, education and retail sectors.
The report also reveals that China’s leading mobile operators have developed sophisticated M2M service propositions that go beyond the provision of basic connectivity. These typically combine a generic horizontal platform, designed to work across all industry sectors with dedicated vertical platforms for specific application areas, such as automotive or healthcare. All three Chinese operators stress the importance of working with partners to create technological and commercial platforms that can nurture a vibrant and innovative M2M ecosystem.
Showcasing Connected Living: GSMA Connected City at Mobile Asia Expo
This week at Mobile Asia Expo, the GSMA will highlight the impact of M2M technology and the Internet of Things at the GSMA Connected City, demonstrating a host of cutting-edge, mobile-connected products and services, including wearable technology, connected cars and other exhibits across education, health, homes and retail, amongst others. The Connected City will include interactive demonstrations from partners including Accenture, Aimia, BMW, China Unicom, CityZen, Deutsche Telekom, Escher Group, Fitbit, Gemalto, Huawei, Jibe Mobile, KT, Logic Group, Omate, Oral B, Proxama, QiHoo360, Qualcomm Incorporated, Sequans, Sest-Tech, UPlane, Verifone and Wanlink Global Technology (SZ) Limited. For further information please visit www.mobileasiaexpo.com/connected-city/.
Follow developments and updates on Mobile Asia Expo (#MAE14) on Twitter @GSMA, on Facebook www.facebook.com/mobileasiaexpo, on Sina Weibo http://weibo.com/maexpo or on the GSMA account on WeChat.
Please click here to download the “How China is Set for Global M2M Leadership” report.
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors:
* All Sources: GSMA Intelligence (www.gsmaintelligence.com)
** The GSMA Connected Living Programme is an initiative to help operators add value and accelerate the delivery of new connected devices and services in the M2M market. This is to be achieved by industry collaboration, appropriate regulation, optimising networks as well as developing key enablers to support the growth of M2M in the immediate future and the IoT in the longer term. Please visit www.gsma.com/connectedliving for further information
About the GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world’s mobile operators with 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and Internet companies, as well as organisations in industry sectors such as financial services, healthcare, media, transport and utilities. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo.
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