For the last several years, many have claimed that affordable and easy remote M2M communication is just around the corner. As such, most people will no doubt think this article is an extension of that same theme.
Sorry to disappoint.
Instead, let's discuss where the real solutions are today and where to find them.
M2M has been a general term used to describe all aspects of machine-to-machine, machine to human, machine to enterprise type communication for the purpose of management and control of assets and devices. The goal was to drive efficiency and/or new revenue streams. Much of what has been written about M2M has been the promise of managing high value assets - those assets that can speak for themselves. Of course, there needed to be some big software application, listening and tracking. And usually connectivity was handled by a friendly, wired IP pipe.
While this was interesting and beneficial for a class of assets, it was certainly limiting. The challenge of scalability was limited by the need to either give the lesser devices the ability to speak (sort of an intelligence boost using intelligent hubs), simplify the software on the application side or improve the connectivity efficiency by using more wireless mediums.
Over the past several years, many have carved out targeted, fragmented solutions to address each of these limitations. For example, some have given communication-challenged devices the ability to speak. Others have used a network communications firewall-friendly phone-home model. Others have been working to simplify the software by creating an ASP or hosted software model. Finally, others have been cutting the cord on various segments.