AT&T teams with Cisco to boost enterprise-based IoT

Leading US operator AT&T has teamed with network technology provider Cisco to introduce 5G network capabilities to boost performance for business internet-of-things (IoT) applications across the US.

The two companies currently manage millions of connected devices spanning manufacturing, utilities, transportation, public sector, retail and healthcare industries as well as public safety on FirstNet, built with AT&T, through AT&T’s 4G LTE and low-power IoT cellular networks. Now AT&T says its 5G network stands ready to deliver lower latency and faster speeds for enterprise customer IoT deployments using 5G certified devices.

AT&T said offering the capabilities of its US-wide sub-6GHz 5G network will enable enterprises such as manufacturing, automotive and entertainment to take advantage of the higher bandwidth and lower latency currently available to more than 251 million people across the country. Adding 5G, it said, opens the door to massive IoT connectivity that will create opportunities to transform retail, make autonomous vehicles and smart factories a reality, and revolutionise healthcare.

The operator highlighted the fact that owners of 5G-capable connected vehicles will be able to experience faster speeds for downloading, streaming and sharing music, video, software updates, navigation and mapping while on the go. Also, mobile personal emergency response device providers and users can have an improved sense of independence and security with faster response times provided via 5G, while in manufacturing, companies can take advantage of 5G’s low-latency speeds to use camera technology to monitor and identify product defects in near-real time on the assembly line, to reduce waste, it said.

At the heart of the new offer will be the Cisco-powered AT&T Control Centre, which is designed to give businesses near-real-time visibility of all the IoT devices on their network and help mitigate security risks, identifying anomalies in data usage and optimising traffic classification reporting.

“5G will empower businesses across all industries to digitise faster and reshape business models,” said Masum Mir, vice-president and general manager, cable, mobility and IoT at Cisco. “Together with AT&T, we are marking a milestone for AT&T Control Centre customers to harness the power of 5G to connect industrial IoT and business-critical devices for ultimate IoT visibility.”

William Stovall, vice-president, mobility, IoT and 5G at AT&T, added: “Working with Cisco, we continue to help businesses deploy IoT devices and applications faster and more securely and get more value out of the devices they use. This is an important first step toward the massive connectivity that will eventually create opportunities for enterprises to realise the full potential of IoT.”