The rapid growth of cellular-based IoT devices is set to explode as 5G networks roll out worldwide, with 7 billion expected to be online by 2033.
However, this is increasing pressure on network providers and businesses are struggling to cope with a lack of resilience, with two-thirds saying it has become more business-critical in recent years.
The survey, which included business decision makers in seven global regions, found that reliable connectivity is essential for operations in 87 per cent of companies. Furthermore, connectivity was stated as the number one issue faced by businesses in every region, deemed more problematic even than securing and retaining business or staff.
Almost all respondents revealed that they suffer from some form of connectivity loss every month, with 16 per cent experiencing a network incident every day and 43 per cent at least once a week. The total outage time during a month was up to an hour for 60 per cent of businesses, with more than one third (37% per cent) experiencing even more time offline, and one quarter (25 per cent) saying that they have been hacked due to connectivity issues.
Almost one half of those surveyed (43 per cent) also said that connectivity problems have caused “life-affecting changes” to either staff or the users of their products.
The biggest concern is with the connectivity of IoT devices, which businesses and individuals increasingly rely on for day-to-day tasks. More than 80 per cent of these are deemed either mission, business or life critical, yet more than half of the companies (58 per cent) revealed that they have suffered connectivity problems with their IoT devices.
The research follows the launch of rSIM’s always-on connectivity solution, aimed at enhancing network connectivity for IoT devices and the mobile internet. The SIM uses a new patented technology to check its own network connectivity and switch providers automatically when disruptions occur, directly from the SIM itself, to maintain connectivity.
By storing two mobile operator profiles on one SIM, each tied to distinct operator core network, rSIM reduces the risk of outages by testing data connection every 60 seconds and switching to a backup mobile operator profile if an outage is detected. It offers two levels of resilience, enabling seamless roaming and proactive uninterrupted network access.
Richard Cunliffe, director at rSIM, said, "The results of the survey did not come as a surprise. Our business lives and breathes connectivity and we understand the pain points that companies experience when they are without it. The incredible growth of IoT devices that we have experienced is putting huge demands on network resilience, and future expansion will be simply impossible with the current levels of reliability provided. The results of the survey back up that view, and the call to arms to do something about it is a challenge we have been delighted to take on.
"People currently accept that mobile connectivity is just not reliable. That is the norm. And that is why the term ‘critical connectivity’ has come up. In the past, the requirement for always on, real-time data from devices has not always existed; there was a time where businesses could live with bad connectivity.
"But the more connected the world becomes, the less we can live with the outages we see day to day, and the more critical connectivity becomes to daily life. New solutions are never usually developed until the pain points become bigger and need fixing. So, we have taken it upon ourselves to find a solution."