With a Q4 2014 figure suggesting 20 million connected devices added and reported 40 to 50 percent market share in the US, telecom massive AT&T is now keen to expand its horizons across APAC.
In the last quarter of 2014, AT&T has witnessed 46 percent increase in customers globally; the telecom player is all set to woo the APAC market aggressively this year.
According to Sandy Verma [Senior Director, IoT Solutions, AT&T APAC.],“Asia Pacific is one of our largest and fastest growing regions and we see India as one of our major markets in the region.”
One of the big questions before the telecom player is that customers are curious to know how AT&T intends to market the concept of IoT as well as AT&T’s offerings.he also says that “Our strategy stands on three pillars: Connectivity, applications, and relationships” .
The telecom provider is sharpening its India focus, having been a part of the recent NASSCOM summit and other round tables with the C-Suite. “We engaged in a fruitful dialogue with a lot of customers in Mumbai, Chennai, and Pune. This ranges from verticals such as automotive, logistics, among others,” he says.
Verma feels that customers in India have the same challenges, and also evince the same passion for newer technologies as customers elsewhere. In order to encourage and facilitate the growth of connected devices, AT&T is creating a robust ecosystem of IoT start-ups. “No one operator reaches out alone, and needs the support of a thriving network while expanding the market,” Verma says.
He also explained that the ecosystem has to be fostered at the grassroots through augmenting the talent pool and through innovation, which, in AT&T, is centered on four key pillars to cultivate ideas from around the world: The AT&T Labs, Innovation Pipeline, AT&T Foundry and Fast Pitch.
On how its journey into APAC and India will pan out for the telecom service provider and how AT&T will leverage its global resources, here are some facts. AT&T boasts of expertise of having delivered mobile Internet to customers in 200 countries, besides having roaming relationships with around 600 operators, and having enjoyed global leadership position in telematics and the M2M market for a decade.
AT&T also has had a massive role in business transformation through IoT, having interesting case studies around the world. For example, the company supports the largest shipping container organization in the world.
The telecom player is also keyed into its relationships with the Indian government, and believes it can have a good slice of the smart city pie, though Verma says it is early days.
Utilities and energy are areas at the consumer and the industrial level where AT&T has expertise to help customers reduce cap dollars through smart meters, wherein customers can avail of a flexi three payment program for utilities. This can help boost the service provider’s entry into the Indian market into these IoT-related domains as well, according to Verma. “Once stakeholders see value in our RoI model, they will sign up,” Verma says.
