By GIFT NDOLWANE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – VOX and Sqwidnet, the integrated communications technology and connectivity provider and local network supplier respectively, have partnered to provide connectivity, data analytics and reporting for Internet of Things (IoT) applications.
The service will be offered to individual and enterprise customers.
Jacques du Toit, Vox Chief Executive Officer, said they partnered with Sqwidnet because they were the sole Sigfox operator in South Africa.
“As an international IoT network with a presence in over 30 countries, using Sigfox means that you can use compliant devices on their network across the country and beyond,” Du Toit said.
Sqwidnet plans to have nationwide IoT network coverage by 2018, allowing for millions of sensors and devices across the country to transmit data to a centralised location for analysis, immediate action, and record keeping.
Vox’s integration and consultancy subsidiary, Braintree, will be used to provide customers with analytical capabilities, reporting, and dashboards to monitor and manage their IoT networks.
An IoT network consists of three parts: the devices that collect information, the network that connects everything, and the data analytics capabilities that allow companies to turn the volumes of data into actionable business intelligence.
Research by Africa Analysis shows that the IoT market is a growing segment in the local ICT industry, with the South African market being valued at $485 million. It accounts for approximately 25 percent of total revenue in Africa and is projected to grow by 9 percent per annum by 2022.
Du Toit said IoT was going to provide a huge area for growth in South Africa, especially in the area of integration.
– CAJ News