Connecting everything – the Internet of Things

Inanimate things are learning to speak – with us the users, with each other, and with their components. That's how a refrigerated container can give a warning if there is a break in the cold chain, and a suitcase can sound an alarm for its owner if it is stolen. This is all possible thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT). Objects are connected using integrated sensors and SIM cards, which make them intelligent.

How machines learn to talk

The Internet of Things aims to make day-to-day life easier for consumers and to simplify work for companies. These connected devices are the basis for machine-to-machine communication, or M2M for short. This is the term used for the automatic exchange of information from and between end devices such as machines, vehicles and containers. M2M simplifies workflows, streamlines processes and enables entirely new business models to be created in fields ranging from the logistics and automobile industries, energy, healthcare and retail, all the way up to public sector activities. The number of possible applications is virtually endless.

Deutsche Telekom is now one of the leading international providers of IoT and M2M services. Deutsche Telekom's portfolio ranges from M2M SIM cards and flexible data rate plans, through management platforms, to a comprehensive advisory service, as well as complete solutions from a "one-stop-shop" provider.

Clever networking

According to a BITKOM study, 100 million connected devices will be in use in Germany by 2020. But even now, the Internet has found its way into all sorts of devices. The Internet of Things is on the rise in consumer electronics in particular, for example in smart TVs. Together with partner companies, Deutsche Telekom connects vehicles, devices and seemingly everyday objects to the Internet, making them smart, opening up new opportunities for creative use, and providing the end user with convenience and security. You can see what that can look like in our photo show.