BT, Cisco, Accenture and three other firms have joined hands to form the Wireless IoT Forum (WIoTF) with the aim to reduce fragmentation and promote open standards for wireless M2M technology. The new forum’s mandate is to drive consolidation around a minimal set of standards for both licensed and license-exempt wireless solutions and develop a clear set of requirements through engagement with vertical end-users in addition to providing a clear use-case driven roadmap for the eco-system of technology companies, apps developers and operators.
Aidan Quilligan, MD at Accenture Digital - Mobility said: "The IoT is growing at an unrelenting pace, but it's important that the entire ecosystem co-operates around open standards in order for it to reach its full potential.
William Webb, CEO, Wireless IoT Forum
The IoT market is gathering significant momentum around the globe, with new technologies and use cases being announced daily. However the risk presented by fragmentation remains very real. Without widely-agreed open standards we risk seeing pockets of proprietary technology developing independently, preventing the benefits of mass-market scale. We are delighted today to be announcing our inaugural membership and to begin work to drive towards a collective view on the right way to deliver widespread IoT services.
Mark Harrop, Director, Business Development (Mobile Programme), BT
As the success of the GSM standard in the mobile world showed, working to open industry standards is critical to creating the necessary situation for mass market success. By aligning the complete value chain in defining and promoting these standards the Wireless IoT Forum is ideally suited to make the Internet of Things a success.
