Telecom Operators Are Leaning Toward M2M Platform Control, Heavy Reading Finds

BOSTON, March 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Telecom operators can find opportunities in the machine-to-machine (M2M) platform market if they are able to lower costs, which many are finding they can do with in-house control of their M2M platforms, according to the latest report from Heavy Reading Insider (www.heavyreading.com/insider), a subscription research service from Heavy Reading (www.heavyreading.com).

Managed M2M Platforms: Quick Fix vs. Long-Term Solution looks at the M2M platform providers that are developing (predominantly) managed propositions that support telecom operators to sell M2M services. It reviews the solutions they offer, their progress to-date and considers whether they are likely to be long-term partners for telecom operators. Finally, this report profiles 11 leading vendors in the market.

For a list of companies covered in this report, http://twimgs.com/audiencedevelopment/LRHR/PDFS/hri0313_companies_2.pdf

"Telecom operators have their eyes firmly set on winning M2M market share," says Simon Sherrington, research analyst with Heavy Reading Insider and author of the report. "While many telecom operators appear inclined to buy expertise from third parties in order to speed their market entry, there are some significant players not taking this path, and others may be planning to go it alone longer-term."

Telecom operators have the opportunity to grow new businesses in the M2M market; but to achieve this they must optimize and automate business processes to drive out cost, Sherrington says. "Managed, cloud-based M2M solutions offer telecom operators a swift means of entering the M2M market with services that cater for a wide range of different customers and industry sectors," he continues. "Ultimately, many of the biggest telecom operators will want end-to-end control of their M2M platforms, and we can expect to see more of them launching their own in-house platforms, despite their existing or imminent relationships with managed service providers."

Key findings of Managed M2M Platforms: Quick Fix vs. Long-Term Solution include the following:

• Telecom operators need to find cost-effective ways of targeting the M2M market.
• Operators must adjust operational processes to cope with ARPUs of just a few dollars per device, or they have no hope of profitability.
• Cloud-based managed M2M platforms have emerged to take the pain out of M2M market entry for network operators.
• The choice of partners and technology options is increasing.
• The jury is out on whether cloud hosted solutions will be used long-term, or whether operators will develop in-house platforms once they have learned how the market works.
• Network effect will be critical for M2M managed platform provider survival; carriers will be attracted to M2M platforms that offer the best global reach and vertical market support.

Managed M2M Platforms: Quick Fix vs. Long-Term Solution is available as part of an annual single-user subscription (12 issues) to Heavy Reading Insider, priced at $1,995. Individual reports are available for $900 (single-user license).

To subscribe, or for more information, please visit: www.heavyreading.com/insider. For more information about other Heavy Reading Insider research services, please visit: www.heavyreading.com/research.

To request a free executive summary of the report, or for details on multi-user licensing options, please contact:

Jeff Geddes
Account Manager
Heavy Reading
303-997-9135
geddes@lightreading.com

Press/analyst contact:
Jennifer Baker
Marketing Director, Light Reading Communications Network
617-747-4110
jennifer.baker@ubm.com

About Heavy Reading (www.heavyreading.com)
Heavy Reading is an independent research organization offering deep analysis of emerging telecom trends to network operators, technology suppliers, and investors. Its product portfolio includes in-depth reports that address critical next-generation technology and service issues, market trackers that focus on the telecom industry's most critical technology sectors, exclusive worldwide surveys of network operator decision-makers that identify future purchasing and deployment plans, and a rich array of custom and consulting services that give clients the market intelligence needed to compete successfully in the global telecom industry. As a division of UBM Tech (tech.ubm.com), Heavy Reading contributes to the only integrated business information platform serving the global communications industry.

SOURCE Heavy Reading