From concept to delivery: the M2M market today - Global M2M connections reached 195 million in 2013, growing at almost 40% per year

The M2M sector is an increasingly important source of connections growth for mobile operators worldwide. In many markets, operators are looking at M2M as a means to offset slowing growth (or declines) in traditional consumer mobile services. As a result, many operators are adapting their organisational structures and business models in order to serve a range of vertical industries with M2M solutions. They are also developing cross- vertical ‘horizontal enablers’ – for example in areas such as data analytics – to achieve economies of scale and other efficiencies in M2M service delivery.

This study combines both quantitative and qualitative market information on the state of the M2M sector today. It comprises analysis of global operator M2M connections data from 2010 to the present day, alongside separate research conducted directly with operators to understand market trends. Interviews were carried out with individuals with direct responsibility for M2M at a dozen leading global mobile operators.