How 5G Fuels IoT: Current State, Opportunities, and Key Challenges

Current IoT Landscape

Billions of devices are already connected, yet many experts say the Internet of Things (IoT) still lies between Gartner’s trough of disillusionment and the slope of enlightenment. Verizon Business CEO Tami Erwin notes, “The number of IoT devices is growing exponentially. The internet of things is changing the way businesses monitor devices and increasing the strategic business value of the data collected.”

Recent years have seen rapid expansion in connected sensors for remote health monitoring, diagnostics, and factory automation—accelerated by the pandemic’s push toward remote work and reduced on‑site staff.

Qualcomm’s launch of a 5G modem chipset tailored for industrial IoT exemplifies how wireless technology is enabling flexible, reconfigurable factory floors.

IoT & 5G World Virtual Conference (June 22‑24, 2021)

EE Times has organized a three‑day virtual event to explore the reality of IoT technologies and how 5G can accelerate widespread adoption across industries such as industrial automation, healthcare, and agriculture.

Program themes:

• Day 1, 22 June 2021: The promise of IoT
• Day 2, 23 June 2021: How 5G supports IoT
• Day 3, 24 June 2021: Use cases and security challenges

Day 1 – The Promise of IoT

Adarsh Krishnan, research director at ABI Research, will examine massive IoT’s revenue potential and the complex value chain that includes connectivity, analytics, device platforms, and security. He will outline vertical use‑cases and the distinct requirements that a fragmented technology ecosystem must meet.

Keynote speakers:

• Ron Martino, EVP and GM of edge processing at NXP Semiconductors
• Mohamed Awad, VP of IoT business at Arm

Awad will compare the evolution of IoT to the smartphone revolution and argue that unlocking its full potential requires accessible technology, a superior developer experience, and rapid deployment.

Additional sessions:

• Siglent Technologies – Empowering the edge
• Microchip – Enhancing IoT devices with AI and machine learning

A live panel will discuss next steps for IoT, covering deployment strategies, edge vs. cloud processing, market fragmentation, and compatibility challenges.

Day 2 – How 5G Supports IoT

Antoine Bonnabel, technology & market analyst at Yole Développement, will explain 5G approaches for IoT connectivity, comparing public spectrum via mobile network operators and private licensed spectrum with network slicing. He will analyze the dynamics of each approach and projected market share.

Keynote speakers:

• Tingfang Ji, senior director of engineering at Qualcomm
• Francesco Dantoni, chief technologist for wireless infrastructure at Texas Instruments

Dantoni will detail the signal chain of a flexible RF‑sampling transceiver that supports both wideband and narrowband carriers, while Renesas Electronics and TE Connectivity will cover cellular IoT deployment at scale and antenna design challenges for high‑density 5G networks.

A live panel will evaluate whether the hype around 5G in IoT is warranted, exploring network slicing, mmWave, and real‑world deployment scenarios.

Day 3 – Use Cases and Security Challenges

Daniel Cooley, CTO of Silicon Labs, will argue that trust is essential for IoT to scale. He will discuss how the largest volume market remains the most insecure, emphasizing the need to rethink security from the cloud to end nodes.

Keynote speakers:

• Don Loomis, VP of micros, security & software at Maxim Integrated
• Itay Sherman, CTO of Powermat Technologies

Loomis will present technical strategies to protect IoT devices, noting the projected $10 trillion annual cybercrime cost by 2025. Sherman will explore wireless power and data delivery for medical and wearable IoT, addressing battery life, safety, and sanitation.

Infineon Technologies will showcase how PSoC 64 secure MCUs provide a pre‑established root‑of‑trust, secure boot, and remote attestation to protect the entire IoT chain.

A concluding panel will examine which use cases were accelerated by the pandemic, from health and wellness to industrial and agricultural applications.

Registration for the three‑day IoT & 5G World conference is free. Register now and view the full program on the event homepage.

>> This article was originally published on our sister site, EE Times.