Trade Association for the Internet of Things Gains Hundreds of Members in Just One Month

LONDON, Feb. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The International M2M Council – a new trade group for the Internet of Things, also called machine-to-machine communications – has gained over 500 new members in the last month, illustrating the need for industry leadership in the sector. The new IMC members include individuals from some of the largest enterprises deploying M2M technology in the world, such as FedEx, Hyundai, Saudi Aramco, Siemens Healthcare, Tata Group, and the US Department of Defense.

"It's clear that there has been a leadership vacuum on a global level. Companies looking to deploy IoT business models are hungry for information – how much will it cost and what are the risks?" says IMC Executive Director Keith Kreisher, "Our group's mission isn't easy, but it is simple – to prove the business case for the Internet of Things."

To this end, the IMC will roll out its new IoT Content Library, which includes over 50 case studies emphasizing ROI for M2M deployments, during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The group already publishes weekly newsletters serving the energy, healthcare, and logistics industries – crucial markets for M2M technology. Broad recruitment efforts began only in the last month, where "adopter members" that qualify can access the IMC's library at no cost, but rather, opt-in to provide demographic information. The IMC will use this information for quantitative research, establishment of best practices, and more.

"We see the establishment of a global trade group for the M2M as an absolute strategic imperative for the entire industry," says Juergen Hase, VP of the M2M Competence Center at Deutsche Telekom and the IMC's Chairman, "We expect the IMC to play a key role in the development of M2M, with concrete benefits that will accrue to its members." In addition to Deutsche Telekom, other companies that form the IMC's Board of Governors include AT&T, Digi International, Iridium, Kore Telematics, Oracle, Orbcomm, Telecom Italia, Telit, and Wyless.

"It's a win/win. Adopter members get crucial information, and sustaining member-companies gain special access to those adopters. We don't share access outside of the group," says Kreisher.

About International M2M Council: The IMC fosters connectivity across a diverse range of industrial and consumer sectors by bringing together solution providers and adopters of M2M technology globally. For more information, visit www.im2mc.org.