2016 Business Communications: Changing the Way We Work
Siemens Building Technologies and IBM said that they will merge the Internet of Things (IoT) and building management technology.
Building management and IoT are two of the hottest technologies around, and fit together well. The IoT collects myriad data points that can be processed through Big Data to confront short-term problems and implement long-term changes in how buildings are managed. The key points of the deal are summed up in the release:
Building intelligence is evolving through emerging technologies in cloud computing, data analytics, and intelligent field devices – effectively merging the virtual and real worlds within the built environment. This shift provides an opportunity to transform real estate assets into active contributors to business success. The solution addresses this opportunity by delivering greater transparency and flexibility to support the decision making process while creating greater efficiency and cost savings to help impact the bottom line.
The focus of the cooperation between the companies is the use of IBM Watson software in Siemens’ Navigator energy and sustainability management platform.
Google Fiber Coming to San Francisco
There have been a good number of Google Fiber announcements during the past few years. Indeed, so many that they hardly make news anymore, except within the locality.
The exception to that is the news that Google is targeting San Francisco. It is the biggest market the company has gone after so far. The project, according to InformationWeek’s Dawn Kawamoto, will deliver services to select condominiums, apartments and “affordable housing units.” It will also offer services free to those who are not online. Training will also be offered, the story said.
The story adds that the company will use existing fiber in the city and work with a third party on the project. City-owned fiber will not be used.
TV Everywhere Finishes 2015 Strong
TV viewing patterns affect investments by cable and telco broadband providers and thus are important to businesses as they plan their telecommunications futures.
A study by Adobe on TV Everywhere says that the category made gains last year. The story at The Wrap says that Adobe found that 17.4 percent of pay television households had signed up for TV Everywhere at the end of the year. That’s compared to participation rates of 11 percent to 14 percent earlier in 2015. That’s progress – but not victory – for TV Everywhere, according to the story:
That’s ‘breakout growth’ in the share of households that are using TV Everywhere, Jeremy Helfand, the vice president of Adobe Primetime, said in an interview with TheWrap. But it still has a big gap to close between purely online rivals. Compared to TV Everywhere’s 17.4 percent penetration, Netflix has about 40 percent of households logging in, Helfand said.
Microsoft Calls for ‘Security Intervention in Health Care’
No sector – not even finance – deals with data that is more vulnerable and sensitive as the medical vertical. That’s why Accenture’s assessments, cited at eWeek, that cyberattacks will cost the health care industry $305 billion “in cumulative lifetime revenue” and that one in 13 people will have data stolen are so disturbing.
It is also why Leslie Sistla, the CISO of Microsoft Worldwide Health, has called for a “security intervention in health care.” Sistla, in announcing the initiative, said that processes that are appropriate in other industries can’t be copied in health care. The story outlined some of the steps that are being taken:
In addition to new investments in security research and development, Microsoft intends to provide health care IT professionals with strategies and guidance with a new blog series. ‘In future posts, we’ll look at how to mobilize entire organizations, from the C-suite to the clinic, to support a shared culture of cybersecurity,’ she pledged.
The company will be sharing findings and offering recommendations, the story said.
AT&T Showcasing Smart Cities
“Smart cities” is an umbrella term that refers to providing intelligence to a city in any number of ways. There seems to be no clear specific requirement for a city to be designated as smart.
But adding intelligence is ongoing. Telecompetitor said that AT&T’s partnership with Cisco, Deloitte, Ericsson, GE, IBM and Qualcomm will be demonstrated in Atlanta, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Chicago, Dallas and other places.
The version of AT&T’s Smart Cities Framework involves using the Internet of Things (IoT) to connect utility meters, street lights and water infrastructure. Applications mentioned in the story include using these networks to streamline and improve transportation, public buildings and parks.
Carl Weinschenk covers telecom for IT Business Edge. He writes about wireless technology, disaster recovery/business continuity, cellular services, the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communications and other emerging technologies and platforms. He also covers net neutrality and related regulatory issues. Weinschenk has written about the phone companies, cable operators and related companies for decades and is senior editor of Broadband Technology Report. He can be reached at cweinsch@optonline.net and via twitter at @DailyMusicBrk.
