As the transition towards 5G Advanced approaches, projected around 2026 or 2027, one of the prominent technologies expected to gain momentum is ambient IoT, according to insights shared by Kathiravan Kandasamy, Vice President of Product Management at Syniverse.
What Is Ambient IoT
Ambient IoT, initially conceptualized by the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), describes an ecosystem comprising a multitude of IoT (Internet of Things) devices interconnected through a wireless sensor network. These devices are characterized by their ability to utilize energy derived from various sources such as radio waves, heat, motion, or other viable options.
Kandasamy elucidated that ambient IoT entails the deployment of very small, low-power devices capable of operating within radio coverage areas, accommodating thousands of such devices. Notably, standalone 5G networks have the theoretical capacity to support up to 1 million devices within a square kilometer, a capability known as massive machine-type communications (mMTC). However, this scale of deployment remains largely unrealized outside certain regions like China.
Energy and power utility companies are anticipated to be early adopters of ambient IoT devices. Kandasamy highlighted their preference for secure IoT devices designed for extended deployment durations, spanning 10 to 15 years or more. These devices, such as power meters or water meters, are typically static and require minimal human intervention, primarily tasked with transmitting data readings back to the respective companies.
The envisioned ambient IoT devices prioritize connectivity and data transmission over multimedia capabilities, facilitating seamless integration into existing infrastructure without the need for frequent manual interventions.
Moreover, narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) could emerge as a viable communication mechanism for cellular IoT devices within the ambient IoT framework, leveraging its low-power attributes and compatibility with 5G new radio standards.
The Road Ahead for 5G Advanced and Ambient IoT
Despite the promising prospects of ambient IoT and 5G Advanced, mainstream adoption remains distant on the horizon. Analysts suggest that the widespread deployment of these technologies may require several more years.
Dean Bubley, an analyst at Disruptive Analysis, emphasizes the prevailing reliance on legacy 3GPP Release 15 non-standalone (NSA) 5G standards among most operators. The transition to the standalone variant of Release 15 and subsequent upgrades to 5G infrastructure are ongoing but far from complete.
Bubley cautions that the timeline for widespread adoption of 5G Advanced is uncertain, with potential advancements likely to occur first in regions like China and private network deployments over the next 1 to 2 years. However, broader adoption beyond these areas may not materialize until 2027 or beyond.
