Industrial IoT threatened by connectivity challenges

Logistics firms are struggling with IoT connectivity challenges

Connected technology is capable of transforming the logistics industry, but new research suggests that it could be plagued by connectivity challenges.

Logistics companies can utilise the Internet of Things (IoT) to gather data on cargo and monitor the temperature of key assets while they travel on road, rail or sea.

However, according to the latest findings from Inmarsat, companies may be end up missing out on the benefits of IoT due to the lack of high-speed connectivity.

It found that terrestrial communication networks fail to offer the connectivity required by IoT sensors that monitor assets and complex datasets.

A staggering 96 per cent of transportation and logistics organisations believe that the success of Internet of Things technologies comes down to reliable connectivity.

But while this is the case, many firms are struggling to access sufficient connectivity. In fact, 40 per cent of companies said connectivity was one of their biggest issues when deploying IoT technology.

There were other challenges, too. Talent and skills were the highest (54 per cent), along with integrating different connected solutions (43 per cent) to create a reliable IoT ecosystem.

Despite these challenges, the global logistics industry remains reliant on the vast amounts of data collected by IoT sensors. Mike Holdsworth, director of transport at Inmarsat Enterprise, believes that firms need to overcome these challenges.

"In an increasingly inter-connected world, more cargo is moving through more geographies and more modes of transport to reach its destinations," he said.

"This increasing complexity brings with it new risks and uncertainties, and creates a pressing need for logistics businesses to increase their visibility over the supply chain and make efficiencies, which is where IoT can help."

He added that if companies can get IoT right, they could greatly improve their efficiency. "If you can monitor cargo from its point of production to its point of delivery, you can cut down on wastage, and understand and adapt levels of supply and ensure security," said Holdsworth.

He continued: "With a combination of IoT sensor technologies, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, Bluetooth Low Energy and Low-Power Wide Area Networks, the movement of goods and things can become more efficient.

"However, the remote location of transport networks and routes clearly poses a challenge for logistics businesses. We can see from our research that gaps in connectivity are proving problematic to successful IoT deployment.

"Terrestrial communication networks may only provide sufficiently reliable connectivity solutions for IoT to function in parts of any given route, meaning vital assets such as trucks, trains, and ships, may enter communications blackspots when they are at most risk, in remote and potentially hazardous environments.

"For logistics businesses to access the full value of IoT, they must have reliable, continuous connectivity that enables them to constantly track their assets on a global scale," he said.