Ericsson Launches IoT Accelerator As a Service

Ericsson said that it has launched the IoT Accelerator, which combines horizontal, feature-rich IoT platforms with the gear maker's services and a marketplace where customers from sectors such as public safety, utilities, transport and smart cities can connect with partners and monetize their solutions. 

Available at the end of Q3 to customers globally, the IoT Accelerator will be offered as a service to enable customers to overcome the barriers of cost and complexity and rapidly develop and deploy new IoT solutions.

“We will initially focus on public safety, utilities, transport and smart cities customers, continuously adjusting to their needs and feedback, and improving ease of use and delivery speed through a DevOps approach to software development. We deliver these capabilities to our customers via the IoT Accelerator,” Orvar Hurtig, Head of Industry & Society at Ericsson, said in a statement.

The IoT platforms' capabilities include data management, billing, device management, connectivity services and analytics. Planned expansion modules include a self-service portal, developer environment and software development kit, the gear maker said.

IoT Accelerator will leverage the Ericsson Cloud System to support hybrid cloud deployments

Vodafone, Huawei Partner For World's First Narrowband IoT Open Lab

Huawei and Vodafone Group have joined hands to establish an IoT Open Lab in Newbury, UK to work on the development of products and applications relating to Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) technology.

Huawei and Vodafone are already working with a number of companies to develop NB-IoT applications. The first devices connected by NB-IoT technologies are expected in late 2016 or early 2017.

The lab will provide a pre-integration testing environment for application developers and device, module and chip manufacturers. The facility, which is the first of seven that Huawei plans to open, will also offer support to developers and partners.

Both the companies will work with both companies to explore cutting edge developments including network solution verification, new application innovation, device integration, and product compliance certification.

"As one of the founding members of the GSMA NB-IoT forum, we're delighted that the first lab is up and running. Over the past twelve months we've made significant progress establishing industry standards for the technology and the new labs will be critical to the next phase of development,

Nokia to Buy Connected Health Gadgets Firm Withings For $191M

Nokia is paying 170 million euros (U.S. $191 million) to acquire French fitness gadgets company Withings in a bid to get into the digital health market, according to a report by pcworld.com.

For the Espoo, Finland company, which sold its handset business to Microsoft two years ago, and has been since mainly in the area of selling telecom equipment, the acquisition marks a strong push into connected healthcare and home products, ranging from activity trackers, weighing scales, thermometers, blood pressure monitors, and home and baby monitors.

Nokia’s brand, which is still well-regarded in many consumer markets, may aid the company as it enters new segments and starts what it describes as a “new chapter.”

“With this acquisition, Nokia is strengthening its position in the Internet of Things in a way that leverages the power of our trusted brand, fits with our company purpose of expanding the human possibilities of the connected world, and puts us at the heart of a very large addressable market where we can make a meaningful difference in peoples’ lives,” Nokia President and CEO Rajeev Suri

From an Internet of Things to an Internet of Everything

By Atul Jain

In 1926, soon after radio transmission advanced from a series of Morse code-esque dots and dashes to modern frequency waves, mastermind inventor Nikola Tesla was already thinking bigger – he had prophesized that “when wireless is perfectly applied, the whole world will be converted into a huge brain . . . which in fact it is, all things being particles of a real and rhythmic whole.” Tesla’s gestalt theory of the unified, hyper-connected world came decades before its time, but the future would prove the mind behind radar, x-rays and the remote control true. A decade short of a century later, a Gartner report from last November forecasted that by 2020, 20.8 billion connected things will be in sync worldwide, more than double the projected human population for the time.

Hyperbole aside, the Internet of Things (IoT) is snowballing across the material world and leaving its impression upon everything in its wake. From televisions to watches to cars and trains, a constellation of connected devices through WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, NFC, and RFID sub-systems is making human life even more intelligent and becoming the mainstream expectation of today’s consumer tech. In data-driven world where information is at our fingertips, the Internet of Things is enabling us to make insights into ourselves, with the power of embedded sensors that are revolutionizing the

How The Internet of Things Helps Build Brands

Brands are poised to benefit greatly from the Internet of Things (IoT) over the next several years, as companies are being connected with their consumers in ways they never could before.

Engagement is at the heart of IoT. It isn’t a dusty server sitting in a back office, it isn’t your laptop or even your smartphone. It is a concept built around connecting the various items we interact and engage with throughout the day in a way previously only reserved for what we would describe as computers.

This means that brands have a variety of new methods by which they can connect with and deliver value to the consumer, and to create a lifestyle around interacting with their brand and the environment around consumers.

In much the same way that Michelin generated brand awareness and encouraged use of its tires by creating the Michelin Travel Guide, brands like Under Armour are becoming all-in-one solutions for customers that want to live a healthier and more active lifestyle.

Amazon and Under Armour taking a swing

Customers are buying Under Armour apparel, fitness trackers, and in return providing a ton of

Innovation and Smart Cities in Africa

Africa it has been the mother of innovation. While the continent is huge, the level of innovation has been interesting to watch, largely fueled by the equalizing nature of technology and mobile telephony. Mauritius , the smallest country in the African country is playing a major role willing to finance startup in the Fintech, IOT and Mobile App by private initiative like the Mauritius Startup Incubator runned by Nicolas Goldstein

The Smart City Scheme is an ambitious economic development program aimed at consolidating the Mauritian international business and financial hub by creating ideal conditions for working, living and spurring investment through the development of smart cities across the island.

The development of smart cities in Mauritius & Africa is opening up a plethora of investment opportunities.
The smart city project is a new initiative to stimulate innovative scientific and technological activities, provide technology-driven facilities to the business community and create a vibrant city lifestyle.

The smart-city concept is about providing investors, nationals and foreigners, with options for living in sustainable, convenient and enjoyable urban surroundings.

Etisalat Nigeria Appoints New VP, 2 New Directors

Olawole Obasunloye, VP, Fin/Fin Controller

Etisalat Nigeria has announced the appointment of a new Vice President and two new Directors within its Senior Management team.

In the latest appointments, Olawole Obasunloye has been promoted to the position of Vice President-Finance/Financial Controller, whilst Ikenna Ikeme and Olalekan Bankole were recently promoted to the positions of Director-Regulatory & Corporate Social Responsibility and Director-Finance Operations & Support respectively.

As VP-Finance/Financial Controller, ‘Wole assumes responsibility for overseeing the evolution and integration of the company’s accounting and financial reporting functions.

Ikenna with over 20 years of  legal, regulatory and marketing experience in the banking and telecoms sectors will be responsible for ensuring that Etisalat’s regulatory and CSR interventions continue to translate into positive socio-economic outcomes in different communities across the country.

As Director, Finance Operations & Support, ‘Lekan assumes leadership for all activities related to the company’s financial systems.

Matthew Willsher, Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria reacting to the appointments said: “Etisalat remains fully committed to executing its business strategies with the help of a high-performing team of dedicated, hardworking employees.

“The collective knowledge, expertise and experience that ‘Wole, Ikenna and ‘Lekan bring to the Organisation further strengthens our business and reinforces our position at the forefront of delivering excellent products and services to our over 23 million customers. These promotions continue to consolidate the leadership of our organisation and are evidence of the great career opportunities that employment with Etisalat offers”.

IoT: Intel Cuts 12,000 Jobs

Intel said it is cutting 11 percent of its workforce, or 12,000 jobs, as it revamps to focus on areas such as data center and the Internet of things.

In a report carried by zdnet.com, the chip giant said that the restructuring will be completed in mid-2017 and result in a $1.2 billion charge in the second quarter. Intel expects to save $750 million this year and $1.4 billion a year by mid-2017.

With the move, it's clear Intel is trying to become less dependent on PCs and focus more on enterprise infrastructure. Intel ended the first quarter with 112,000 employees.

In an email to employees, CEO Brian Krzanich said: “We expect that this initiative will result in the reduction of up to 12,000 positions globally. This will be achieved by voluntary and involuntary departures, global site consolidation, and efficiency initiatives. The majority of these actions will be communicated over the next 60 days, with some spanning into 2017.

“These are not changes I take lightly. We are saying goodbye to colleagues who have played an important role in Intel's success. We are deeply committed to helping our employees

How To Invest In The Internet of Things

By Ryan McQueeney

All around us, the world grows more intertwined every day. Thanks in part to our global web connections, we have the ability to interact with people and things on an incredible level. This online experience can be life-saving and important, or it can be as arbitrary as simplifying monotonous tasks.

There are many industries and companies that aim to advance this experience. One growing market, known as the Internet of Things (IoT), connects our household items to a wireless network by embedding them with electronic, software, or sensor technology. This network of devices allows us to take the next step into a wireless world that relies less and less on direct human-to-computer interaction.

You might actually be using products in the IoT without knowing it. Some common examples include the remote operation of a house’s security system, wearable motion and activity tacking products, and even public trash bins that automatically alert a municipality when it is full.

The Internet of Things is definitely present in our everyday lives right now, but there is a lot more room to grow. According to research firm IDC, via the Wall Street Journal, the IoT market could nearly triple in the coming years. In 2014, the global IoT market was worth $655.8 billion, but it could reach up to $1.7 trillion by the year 2020.

With the industry showing that much room for growth, investors need to start thinking about investing in the IoT now, and we’ve highlighted a few companies and strategies for those who would like get the IoT into their portfolios.

Big Name Patent Holders

One of the most important steps a company needs to take to capitalize on emerging technology is locking down patents at the earliest possible point. In regards to the Internet of Things market, we’ve seen a lot of companies filing for patents that put them in a good position to grow as the IoT grows.

One such company is technology behemoth Apple AAPL. Apple holds a patent named “Local Device Awareness”, which describes an automated relationship between multiple close-range devices. The technology could be used for position tracking, such as finding a lost remote control, or even proximity-based virtual reality, like a video game that depends on one’s actual position in a room.

Another major IoT patent holder is IBM IBM. Primarily an information technology-focused company, IBM figures to be a major player in the IoT. Currently, IBM holds a patent

The Psychology of the Smart City, Part 1: Meeting Human Needs

The ancient Greek Philosopher Democritus was the first to coin the notion that the individual can be considered the “social atom” of a society. Just like an individual, a society has myriad internal influences and diverse factors that make up its personality. Because these influences and factors are based on people, they heavily reflect the psychology of the people that reside there.

The Personal Needs Hierarchy

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is perhaps the most commonly used framework for understanding human psychology. It divides our needs into five levels:

1.      Physiological needs

2.      Safety and security

3.      Love and belonging

4.      Self-esteem

5.      Self-actualization

These needs are sometimes grouped into two types: hygiene and motivator factors.  Hygiene needs are often unnoticed when they are met, but cause dissatisfaction and suffering when they are absent. Motivator needs, however, elicit positive feelings and energize people the more they are present.

Psychology and Cities

Because cities and communities are made up of people, the social psychology of them can be understood in much the same way. People rarely notice that they have running water, sewage systems, and peaceful streets. But when these are missing, social unrest grows and society even destabilizes if they are missing for long enough. Governments are expected to provide for

Nokia, Accenture Agree Digital Transformation Partnership

Nokia and Accenture have announced a partnership to deliver network technology and management services for telcos looking at digital transformation, reports telecoms.com.

The Nokia Accenture Business Group will, Nokia says, help operators and enterprise users make the leap to digitally-focussed networks by combining Nokia’s IP networking software products with Accenture’s business services and consulting specialism. The agreement is focussed on five main solution areas, including next-gen enterprise service delivery, CEM and big data analytics, software defined networking and software defined data centre services powered by Nuage Networks – acquired as a result of the Alcatel-Lucent purchase.

The agreement is an extension of the Accenture Alcatel-Lucent alliance deal which was announced in September 2014. According to Accenture, the original alliance worked with operators like TIM, Telefónica and WIND, helping to enhance customer experience and optimise networking infrastructure.

Citing the holy trinity of 5G, IoT and cloud; Nokia’s Chief Strategy Officer, Kathrin Buvac

ARE YOU USING YOUR CYBER SENSE?

The hottest new trend on the Internet isn’t a new social network or app. It’s things. Dubbed “The Internet of Things” it refers to any object you can connect to with the Internet. These "things" include an array of devices and even systems. Home security systems, connected pill bottles that send you an alert when you haven’t taken your medication or need a refill, or they might be something as simple as a light you can turn on or off from your phone. Either way, the Internet of Things promises to connect more devices than ever before.

However, as with any new technological development, there are pitfalls that come along with the benefits. The Internet of Things can make your home more secure with a security system, but it can also open you up to identity theft and other cybercrimes. That’s because the Internet of Things is mostly uncharted waters. The security systems aren’t in place to protect many of the devices yet. Any time you get a new piece of technology on the Internet of Things, you’re taking new chances with your online security.

Why You Need to Secure the Internet of Things

There are a number of ways that criminals can leverage the Internet of Things to infiltrate your home. Skilled hackers could use your home’s power signature to figure out the best time for a burglary. If your car gets hacked, you could have identity thieves spying on everywhere you go and everything that you do. Webcams have been hacked on laptops, allowing criminals access to your most intimate moments. Even if there’s no property crimes or violent crimes committed, you don’t want to be violated in this way.

It’s simply a truism of Internet usage that your identity and computer activity is only as strong as its weakest link. The problem with the Internet of Things is that there are a lot of weak links for you to lock down. Theoretically speaking, it might not be the centerpiece of your new Wi-Fi home security system that’s your undoing, but the simple device that you use to tell whether or not a door has been opened. From there, hackers can work backward from that to your security system, to your wireless network, to every device on it. Everything is connected.

How to Secure Your Home in the Age of the Internet of Things

It’s true that there isn’t a lot of protection in the dawn of the Internet of Things. It’s also true that there aren’t a lot of dangers out there. Much of what has been described above are theoretical abilities, rather than tried-and-tested hacks. You’re in a brave new world of connectivity, but so are criminals looking to use the Internet to their advantage. While you’re in uncharted waters, there are still some ways to maximize your protection:

• Secure your home wireless network. Remember that almost all of these devices will run off of your wireless network. The more secure that is, the harder it will be to victimize you. Hackers tend to look for low-hanging fruit.
• Use several emails. If, for example, you have an email for your connected pill bottle, and another for your connected car, you’re not as vulnerable as someone who has all of their information associated with one account linked across several devices.
• Always update the firmware on your connected devices. This is as important as updating the operating system and Internet security suite on your computer and mobile devices. When hackers start to attack the Internet of Things, they’re almost always going to use known exploits to do it, the kind that are patched when firmware updates.
• Remember that your main laptop computer is part of your overall connection to the Internet of Things. So make sure to update your operating system and Internet security suite, as well as all the apps on your laptop. That’s the best way to ensure overall security on your system.

Digital Africa Conference and Exhibition 2016 edition is Themed “Accelerated Development for Africa with IoE (Internet of Everything)” holds from the 1st – 3rd of June, 2016 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

The Internet of Things offers a lot of promise, but it also offers peril. Most of the perils can be avoided by using common cyber sense. 

IoT Market to Explode Within 5 Years

The IoT market size is estimated to grow from $157.05 billion in 2016 to $661.74 billion by 2021, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 33.3% from 2016 to 2021 driven by factors such as development of cheaper and smarter sensors, rising adoption of cloud computing, evolution of high speed networking technologies, and increasing penetration of connected devices.

According to whatech.com report, the Internet of Things (IoT) market size is estimated to grow from $157.05 billion in 2016 to $661.74 billion by 2021, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 33.3% from 2016 to 2021. This growth is driven by factors such as development of cheaper and smarter sensors, rising adoption of cloud computing, evolution of high speed networking technologies, and increasing penetration of connected devices.

Rising need for operational efficiency and increasing penetration of connected devices are driving the Internet of Things market.

IoT Powers Better Traffic Management in US

In yet another success for the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, a team of US researchers has developed a system to ease vehicle-to-infrastructure and vehicle-to-vehicle communications for better traffic management and curb increasing road accidents.

The team led by Larry Head from University of Arizona used optimisation and algorithms with wireless devices and traffic signal controllers to manage the traffic signals in the US city of Phoenix, according to latest reports by zeenews.india.com.

"Drivers communicate wirelessly on smartphones with people around the globe, but their cars cannot communicate with cars around the corner. That is about to change," Head said.

The researchers a took a team of supervisors, locals and transportation officials on a test bus ride on a 2.3-mile stretch of a road in Anthem -- a suburb in Phoenix.

The road had "Dedicated Short Range Communications" (DSRCs) radios mounted in demo

VDT Communications is Digital Africa 2016 Telecoms Partner

As preparations intensify for this year’s Digital Africa Conference and Exhibitions, key stakeholders in Nigeria’s ICT industry have continued to partner with organizers of the annual continental gathering of renowned ICT experts to discuss the development of Africa’s ICT sector and proffer solutions to the challenges limiting the continent’s technological advancement and the efforts at moving the continent from being a passive consumer to a dominant innovator and producer of digital technologies.

 

The latest is VDT Communications Limited, a Nigerian telecommunications firm renowned for the provision of complete, turnkey solution to all data communication needs. It has reaffirmed its readiness to support the 2016 edition of the annual event as telecoms partner.

Disclosing this, general manager of Digital Africa Global Consult (DAGC), organizers of the annual tech show, Ms Nneoma Ofodile noted that VDT Communications has consistently partnered DAGC since it commenced the campaign to promote the adoption, diffusion, and active development of digital technology in Africa.

“VDT Communications Limited has continued to share our vision of making Africa an active participant in the creation and use of technology. It is for this purpose, that we bring business leaders and organizations together to facilitate the continued, responsible growth of the African economy through the development of the technology industry.

“We create a bridge between buyer, supplier and manufacturer, thus providing a channel through which international companies can expand their businesses into Africa with ease, less risk and profitability. We also provide platforms to help private sector organizations interested in growing their businesses to address the needs of local markets and reach out to the international market,” Ofodile remarked.

Ms Ofodile said that the 2016 edition of Digital Africa Conference & Exhibition is the fourth in the series of successful events earlier held in 2013, 2014 and 2015, and which has attracted renowned ICT experts to discuss Africa’s ICT sector development as well as proffer solutions to the challenges limiting the continent’s advancement to the point of digital singularity with the rest of the globe.

She noted that because of the fact that in recent years, the world has entered a new era of connectedness beyond the human realm resulting to more and more objects in the physical world being able to communicate with each other through embedded sensors, tags, and actuators without human involvement, organizers of the event has chosen as the theme for 2016, “Accelerated Development for Africa with Internet of Everything (IoE).”

Ms Ofodile further stated that VDT Communications Limited operates one of the most advanced telecommunications networks in the country primarily by the convergence of multiple networks into one, adding that the company's Network infrastructural design is structured towards providing a broad range of end-to-end efficient and reliable IP-based (data and voice communications) services across West Africa while building a long term, trusted partnership with its clients.

She recalled that VDT Communications Limited Digital Leased Circuit (DLC) service for instance, is a secured, high speed, reliable, solution for customers requiring dedicated point-to-multi point links between the organizations’ head Office and its branch offices nationwide, adding that its broadband data and Internet solutions are fast, secure, and reliable for many critical applications including electronic commerce, E-mail, remote access, and convergent voice and data services.

Billed to hold June 1-3, 2016, this year’s edition will see speakers touch such areas as Infrastructure needs and the role of government; The Environment (Smart Cities & Homes, Urban Development); Agriculture; Security (Oil & Gas); Health & Life Style; Retail: Opportunities for SMEs, Training, Managing Warranties; as well as Transportation and Logistics.

The previous Conferences have had in attendance notable personalities including Mrs. Omobola Johnson, Nigeria’s immediate past Minister of Communications Technology; Mr. Folusho Phillips, Chairman Nigerian Economic Summit Group; Mr. Peter Jack, Director General of Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency; Mr. Ernest Ndukwe, Chairman, Open Media; and Mr. Austin Okere, CEO, Computer Warehouse Group.

Others included Nicholas Haan, Director, Global Grand Challenges, Singularity University; Mr. Shawn DuBravac, Chief Economist and Director of Research, Consumer Electronics Association, USA; Mrs. Florence Seriki, President, Information Technology Association of Nigeria (ITAN); Robin Raskins, Founder and CEO, Living in Digital Times, USA; Mallam Mohammed Hayatudeen, renowned banker and economist; Prof. Pat Utomi, founder, Centre for Values in Leadership, and Mr. Russell Southwood of Balancing Act amongst many others.

As in previous years, the 2016 Digital Africa Conference and Exhibitions will also feature exhibitions, plenary, workshops, panel discussions to be led by high profile speakers drawn from local and global organizations, Gala Night as well as the reputable Digital Africa Innovation Awards where individuals and organizations in Africa will be honoured for their contributions towards the growth of ICTs in the continent. This year’s edition will also feature a job fair.

The exhibition will cover products and services in various areas such as Telecommunications, Consumer Electronics, Wearables, Entertainment, Education, Computing, Smart Homes, Security, 3D Printing, and many others.

  

 

The Internet Of Things Is Coming, Hang On To Your Hats!

By George Deeb

I recently completely a deep dive on the Internet of Things (IoT) space for one of my Red Rocket clients, and I was blown away with what I learned.  If we think the consumer internet as we know it is a big deal, IoT will become an even bigger deal, over time.  Gartner predicts the IoT industry to be $1.9TN in size by 2020, and McKinsey thinks it could be as large as $6.2TN by 2025, in terms of economic impact.  Yes Trillion!!  Intel forecasted 15BN devices were already connected to the internet in 2015 alone.  That’s a lot of demand for embedded smart modules, cloud computing, connectivity, data security, mobile apps and analytics reporting alone.

To be clear, when I talk about IoT, I am largely talking about devices connected to the internet (e.g., think a Nest thermostat), or Machine-to-Machine (M2M) technologies.  IoT applications run across these primary sectors:  Consumer, Commercial, Industrial, Buildings, and Government.  And, get further segmented across these major industries:  Retail, Transportation, Security/Safety, IT, Manufacturing, Automotive, Energy and Healthcare, to name a few. Research suggests Manufacturing and Healthcare are the largest two of these industries, in terms of potential and investment to date.  From there, it drills down even further.  For example, in the Security/Safety space, it splits out into Real Time Alerts, Asset Tracking, Fire Safety, Environmental Safety, Elderly/Child Protection, Power Protection, Supply Chain Visibility and beyond.

So, don’t try to be all things to all people, find your sizeable niche and dominate it.

Understanding a lot of big companies are also carving out their niches.  As examples, in just the smart home space, niches are being created around lighting control (Hager, Legrand, Leviton, Lutron, Matsushita), access control (Honeywell, Siemens, Tyco, UTC), connected home security (Alarm.com, Bosch, Kwikset), energy efficiency (Belkin, Nest), home automation (e.g., Smart Things) and appliance control (GE, LG, Maytag, Samsung).  So, even if you pick a good

Study Shows Consumers Do Not Trust Internet of Things

Even though consumers see tangible benefits of the Internet of Things (IoT) adoption, many have their doubts regarding security, trust and safety, and that could seriously hurt the adoption of the new technology, according to reports by betanews.com.

Those are the results of a new study conducted by global mobile trade body Mobile Ecosystem Forum (MEF). The Global Consumer Survey asked 5,000 mobile users in eight markets about the future of the connected world.

Globally, 60 percent of consumers are worried about the new technology, especially in the emerging markets such as Brazil, India and South Africa (66 percent). The biggest concerns are trust (62 percent) and security (54 percent), followed by physical safety (27 percent), and not being able to fix the technology (24 percent).

Ten percent said they couldn’t see the benefits of a world filled with IoT devices.

“Whilst this survey shows that consumers are excited about a future connected world, it also clearly identifies the need for the industry to consider how such technology and services are rolled out when it comes to building a trusted relationship with consumers”, said Rimma Perelmuter, CEO of MEF.

“The business opportunities surrounding IoT are clear, but only if industry heeds the lessons of the broader mobile ecosystem when it comes to the paramount importance of building consumer trust at the outset. Our 2016 Global Consumer Trust Report demonstrated the demand for transparency in mobile apps and services with 64 percent saying it’s important to be told when an app is collecting and sharing personal information. This new report reaffirms the need for all stakeholders in the ecosystem to take action now to secure a viable future for such technologies.”

ntel’s 0804…Rings in Lagos, Abuja

ntel, Nigeria’s most advanced 4G/LTE network has commenced its phased and paced commercial operations with bumper offers for early bird Pioneers and data users.

Launching the commercial operations before newsmen yesterday in Lagos, the company announced that the first 100,000 to redeem and activate their ntel SIMs will get free on-net calls for life while data subscribers will get 3 months unlimited data usage on select bundles.

Kamar Abass, CEO at ntel said at the launch, “I am delighted to announce to you, on behalf of the staff and directors of NatCom, that today, this eighth day of April 2016, we start commercial activities on our newly commissioned 4G/LTE-Advanced network. Our very earliest customers will be able to buy and use these services in clusters, across Lagos and Abuja from sales outlets and agents featuring our bright new brand name: ntel.”

ntel, Nigeria’s 5th Mobile network operator announced that the commencement of operations is the culmination of their journey from acquiring the old NiTel/MTel assets to the delivery of successive milestones underlining their growing operating capability on their new fixed and mobile network infrastructure.

With the formal commencement, commercial services will be available on ntel’s 4G/LTE-Advanced network across key site clusters in Lagos and Abuja. Coverage in Port Harcourt will follow in May, along with expanded coverage in Lagos and Abuja, and subsequently to other states, across multiple geo-political zones, during the second half of 2016.

The company said their 4G/LTE-Advanced technology built on the 900/1800MHz spectrum will deliver an unbeatable and game-changing customer experience of high-speed Internet Access up to 230Mbps, the fastest available in Nigeria today thus enabling a world of full mobile

Executive Interview: Harriet Green, IBM’s Internet of Things Chief

Former Thomas Cook CEO is leading IBM's charge into the IoT, and is pushing its Watson AI technology as a unique differentiator.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is understandably viewed by technology companies large and small as the next great wave of development in the digital age.

For IBM – perceived by some as a lumbering giant that was slow to respond to major IT trends such as mobile and cloud – it is essential to take an early lead in this emerging market. Perhaps that explains the decision to look outside the company for a high-profile business executive to head its IoT charge.

Step forward Harriet Green, previously group CEO of one of the UK’s best-known consumer brands – holiday company Thomas Cook – and formerly chief executive of electronics distributor Premier Farnell. Green is a big hitter – a former Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman of the Year and Leader of the Year in the 2013 UK National Business Awards.

Sadly, but not untypically for tabloid coverage of successful female business leaders, she has also been the subject of some intrusive national newspaper reporting.  She was singled out more for her tattoo than the fact that she grew Thomas Cook’s market worth from £148m to more than £2bn in little more than two years.

By the time she left the travel firm, her reputation in the City was such that £350m was wiped from the value of the company’s shares when she announced her departure in November 2014.  

 Such a high-profile background might also explain why IBM CEO Ginni Rometty personally hired Green last September into a global role as general manager for IBM Watson internet of things, commerce and education.

Combining Watson with IoT

Watson is IBM’s artificial intelligence (AI) engine - famed for beating humans on the US TV quiz show Jeopardy – a capability that the supplier sees as a distinctive difference to its IoT offering.

“You always want to be in a position where you have something that no one else has, and no one else has Watson,” Green tells Computer Weekly in one of her first major interviews in the new job. “No one else has cognitive capabilities in the way that we do, so that’s really exciting.”

So why did she choose this role after running Thomas Cook, and why IBM?

“If you look at what I’ve done in my career, it’s been a lot of transformations – businesses that either aren’t well or need to be made global or digitised. So when I finished the first phase of the Thomas Cook transformation and made sure the business was not going into demise and made it robust, then what I was attracted to at IBM was the intensity of transformation,” she says.

“IBM is one of the few companies in the world that has reinvented itself – three, possibly four

IBM, Pfizer Collaborate To Create IoT System For Parkinson’s Disease

As a way to help those who suffer from Parkinson’s disease, and to learn how the disease progresses in patients, IBM and the pharmaceutical company Pfizer are collaborating to create an experimental Internet of Things system to monitor patients and change how clinicians deliver care to them, according to reports by SDTimes.com.

Approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease each year, and 7 to 10 million suffer from it globally, according to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. This collaboration will allow the companies to develop remote monitoring solutions that will rely on a system of sensors, mobile devices, and machine learning to provide real-time disease symptom information to clinicians and researchers, according to an IBM announcement. Among the goals, the announcement said, is to better understand how patients respond to medicine so doctors can make effective treatment decisions and researchers can better design clinical trials.

The announcement noted that the treatment of Parkinson’s disease in particular requires constant adjustment to medications, depending on how the disease is progressing in a patient and how well the patient is responding to the medication.

This new collaborative approach is non-invasive to the patient. IBM and Pfizer will seek to create a holistic view of a patient’s wellbeing by accurately measuring a variety of health

What’s ahead for technologists? Q&A with analyst Paul DeBeasi

Q: Why should I care about the Internet of Things, right now? 

A: The Internet of Things (IoT) is going to be the most gamechanging IT initiative since cloud or mobile computing. Its transformative power is tremendous. Just take a look at Uber, the on-demand car service that runs on an IoT architecture. By using information such as driver and passenger location, Uber connects the dots between someone looking for a ride and a willing driver. Smartphone sensors send tons of information to the cloud, broken down by time zones and geographies. Once it’s in the cloud, all that information is processed by algorithms, not only to match up drivers with passengers but also to manage price dynamically, based on supply and demand and location. Uber may have turned the cab business upside down, but what’s the take-away for technical professionals? A lot more Ubers, in other industries, are on the horizon. That’s why technical professionals need to act with urgency by planning now rather than waiting for IoT solutions to be foisted upon them. By making the right decisions regarding architecture, platforms, vendors and strategy, you’ll be ahead of the disruption rather than reacting to it.

Q: How will analytics impact data management? 

A: Analytics are what make big data work for enterprises. They automatically take insights gleaned from algorithms and put them into action. Soon businesses will be valued not just on their revenue growth, but on the quality of their digital analytics that will be at the core of customer interactions. Think about my earlier mention of Uber, a company that runs on an IoT architecture and that, in essence, is a digital business. Within the next five years, businesses like that will be far more common. Take for example car manufacturers like Ford and Honda. Their vehicles will generate telemetric information, which in turn will be used in analytics alerting customers to critical maintenance information. Granted, some analytics will be mundane while other will be substantial, maybe even spectacular. This is what you should be considering, right now: “How do I analyze big data? How do I integrate these analytics into my existing systems, and how can those analytics help transform the business?” 

Q: What are containers? What tools are used to build and deploy them? 

A: Over the past 18 months, containers have become a hot topic in the data center. Why? Increased agility. Offering a type of virtualization, containers allow developers to compress and streamline their development cycles by solving the problem of how to get software to run reliably from one computing environment to another — from desktop to test environment to production. Benefits to the business are significant — getting software and services to market that much faster. Using containers also can be a tremendous boon to organizations that are struggling to adopt DevOps practices. In terms of building and deploying, many IT organizations use Docker, a container management framework that gives developers accessibility and ease of use.

Q: What are some of the hot issues in security today? 

A: The controversy between Apple and the FBI has most recently grabbed attention. Should Apple help law enforcement hack an iPhone of one of the San Bernardino terrorists? Historically, Apple has used encryption to protect customers’ personal data, even putting the data out of Apple’s own reach. It boils down to authentication. Once Apple “breaks authentication,” then that software is out there in the wild and anyone can break into any phone. Regardless of the outcome, technical professionals will be grappling with new challenges to identity and access management. Keep in mind that security is a broad area with many other pressing issues. One of the big ones is security information and event management (SIEM), an approach that provides a holistic view of IT security. SIEM tools have reached mainstream adoption, but many challenges remain. Security architects are realizing that to avoid ineffective deployments requires an ongoing organizational commitment and a set of operational practices. Running SIEM is more than just a project “to do and forget.” 

Culled from www.gartner.com