It’s been dubbed ‘The Fourth Industrial Revolution’ for good reason: the Internet of Things – combined with the growing globalization of business – is a disruptive and transformative force. This week we continue our long history of attendance and we return to the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and we’ve got plenty of things to share and industry shifts to evaluate.

Do a historic Google search for “IoT at Mobile World Congress”, and you’ll find scant information as recent as 2013. It’s hard to believe when you consider where we are now, but the exponential growth in computing power, connectivity and the IoT has only really occurred in the past half-decade. Looking ahead, the GSMA has predicted that by 2025, there’ll be 25 billion connected devices in circulation worldwide, with APAC leading the way.

Mobile connectivity no longer refers to simply voice or text interactions between one person and another; it has digitised and matured and now encompasses a huge variety of data exchanges between huge numbers of people and things. And we’ve been at every MWC to witness this (r)evolution! Handset launches and announcements from device manufacturers once dominated the event, but now we’re more likely to see a social media company or a car-maker stealing the show.

It’s these experiences – along with BICS’ equally rapid growth as a company – which have helped propel us to where we are today. Mobile connectivity is still our bread and butter, but we’ve evolved and adapted in line with customer needs, and re-positioned mobile connectivity – right at the heart of the IoT, and as the driver of new revenue streams.

When (or if!) we get any time away from our stand at MWC, the BICS team will be hoping to drop by the GSMA’s Innovation City pavilion and catch a glimpse of our connected future – and the diverse range of stakeholders involved. BICS has been working to support organisations and telcos across the whole IoT value chain, and will be demonstrating our range of IoT solutions throughout the show.

A successful IoT deployment is dependent on a number of factors: network-agnostic and global mobile connectivity; efficient network management and integration; and support for multiple (very different) commercial models.

‘Things’ must enjoy seamless connectivity across any global region and all global networks – from 2G to 5G. Finally, these things must have embedded connectivity which can be controlled and managed in real time, from a single, centralised location.

Of course, those who’ve entered the ‘new’ telecoms industry which has developed in recent years are not likely to have the required assets, infrastructure or skills to achieve this. But, thanks to years of experience, our global architecture and an international network reach, BICS offers the perfect connectivity partner.

Our SIM-for-Things offers a single connectivity solution and a platform allowing businesses to easily enter the IoT and deploy, manage and monetise a fleet of connected things. Organisations are then handed the power to control device parameters and data usage, monitor quality, troubleshoot, and get automated updates across their entire fleet – whether static or roaming.

We’ve learnt many lessons from our years at MWC, and no doubt we’ll come away with new ideas and insights again this year! As interest in the IoT at the trade show has grown, BICS has been developing and showcasing solutions to enable this ecosystem and help generate ROI, for any IoT business model.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is here, and BICS will be present every step of the way, helping to transform any enterprise into a connected, global, next-generation enterprise.

Come and meet us and let us connect you to the world @ booth 2E40 in Hall 2