Overview:

This course explains the technology, operational and business and dynamics of M2M. The student will receive an excellent grounding in the three pertinent areas of M2M’s technology, which entails the hardware, wireless and back-end server systems. The business aspects of M2M are also examined, covering applications, case studies, ROI, business cases and revenue models. Finally, the operational issues of running an M2M service are given equal coverage, enabling the student to understand the dynamics of M2M as a broad, multi-faceted business. 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of the workshop the student will be able to:

·        Understand the various hardware and wireless technologies available and suitable for M2M

·        Identify the most appropriate wireless technology for their business and customer base

·        Appreciate the various operational issues of importance such as service level agreements, billing, technical support and wireless roaming

·        Understand the major functional elements of modern, cellular networks and the various data bearers available for M2M

·        Design a business and revenue model for their M2M service

·        Determine the nature and type of ROI that would justify their M2M strategy

·        Gain a better understanding of how to sell an M2M solution to a large enterprise

·        Identify the magnitude of law enforcement and homeland security applications using M2M 

·        Learn from case studies the ways in which M2M has succeeded in the market

Duration:

1 – 2 days (depending on depth of information desired by students)

Prerequisites:

·        Basic understanding of wireless and/or cellular communications

·        Appreciation of the general wireless service business and operational concepts

·        Basis business skills incorporating business models, ROI and product support

·        Knowledge of telemetry and SCADA systems is a plus

Part One: M2M Overview

The Definition of M2M

M2M is defined and the differences between it and SCADA / Telemetry are investigated

M2M Building Blocks

The three major components of an M2M Solution, how they fit together and why they’re each essential to a solution

Wireless Devices for M2M

The choice of technology and protocol is vast in the Americas markets, and M2M is pulled at all angles from each.  Choosing the technology determines the wireless devices used for the solution

Wireless Services for M2M

Choosing the wireless services is of paramount importance; once the technology and protocol have been settled on, the next important choice is the service provider

Back-end Services and OSS

The third element of an M2M solution is the back-end services that process the M2M information and display it at the monitoring facility 

Part Two: M2M Technology

Wireless Technologies and Protocols

The American market provides many choices for wireless technology including GSM and CDMA. On top of this, a number of protocols exist such as SMS and packet data. The choices are many and making the right choice is pivotal to the technology and business success of a company. This section discusses the major technologies in play and the issues surrounding each of them

The Field-deployed Hardware and Firmware Technology

The machine to be monitored will require interfacing to a wireless device in order to report and receive data to and from the back-end server. A number of choices exist in the market, and wise selection determines the speed and time to market for a solution

Back-end Services Technology

The market is flooded with a number of solutions ranging from large-scale servers to single-deployment desktop solutions. This section explores the type of services available and what should be considered before committing to any given solution

Part Three: M2M Business and Operations Dynamics

Why is M2M Taking Place- What happened?

A look into the various technologies and services available now compared to five and ten years ago. What’s driving M2M and where is it going?

Business Opportunities- Services a Company can Offer

M2M Services to offer- where does a company’s strength lie-should it offer one, two or all three major services? What other supplementary service opportunities are out there? Stepping back and looking at the big picture, M2M’s role in larger-scale solutions.

Business and Revenue Models

Here we answer the questions “how to maximize profits in M2M?”, “how to optimize the revenue model when offering any combination of M2M products and services?”, and “how to justify M2M service charges and combine them with additional value-add services?”

Business and Technology Strategies

Technology Strategies for the M2M Business- can your solutions be deployed in other countries? Will you pay roaming fees in some markets? The value of strategic alliances and how a company can add value to its operation is investigated.

Choosing a Wireless service Provider

There are many pitfalls with Wireless Service providers. This section details the important items an M2M solution provider should demand and look out for from a wireless provider. The SLA is very important. The wireless services are the weakest link in the M2M chain, and an SLA when enforced by the solution provider will determine an M2M solution’s reliability and quality.

Return on Investment

Deciding on an M2M strategy incorporates determining the Return on Investment. An ROI is not necessarily based on savings to justify the cost. This section explores the way in which an ROI can be determined and if in fact an M2M solution can be justified. 

Part Four: M2M Politics and Regulatory

M2M Regulatory Issues

A device that connects to a wireless carrier’s network requires approval from the carrier as well as a number of other governing bodies before the M2M device can be deployed in the North American market. This section discusses the various pitfalls and issues associated with approvals.

M2M Political and Privacy Issues

Pervasive M2M means peoples’ actions are also monitored, creating political and privacy issues. This section examines the various matters related to these issues and the current solutions available.

M2M Applications

A number of applications already exist in the market. This section details five different applications types:

Utility company applications

General measurement and detection applications

Alarm and intrusion

Vehicle tracking

Public Safety

Homeland Security

M2M Case Studies

A number of real deployments based on the above applications, will be looked at in depth from a deployment, technology and business standpoint