Telit Wireless Solutions aims to ship four lakh machine-to-machine modules in 2015

NEW DELHI: Telit Wireless Solutions, an enabler in the Internet of Things space, said machine-to-machine communication is the key to India’s digital plans and aims to ship 4 lakh M2M modules in the country this year.

London-based Telit, which provides wireless M2M solutions and value-added services, sold 3 lakh M2M modules in India in 2014. The India business contributes almost 2% of the company’s global revenue from more than 30 countries.

“We are growing at about 30% year-on-year and aim to ship 4 lakh units of M2M modules in the current year in India,” Ashish Gulati, country manager of Telit Wireless Solutions, told ET.

Market study firm Infonetics Research said the mobile M2M module market is expected to account for $1.6 billion in sales during 2014 and may grow to $4.5 billion worldwide by 2018. The Internet of Things refers to the interconnection of devices to facilitate automation.

Telit is also working with Indian government agencies in the areas of telematics (the integration of computers and wireless telecommunication technology) and energy. The company said it offers wireless technology that could benefit the government’s digital roadmap.

“Digital India is poised to induce government to buy new technologies, connectivity solutions and automated systems,” Gulati said. The company expects the M2M policy framework to be released soon.

The Department of Telecom has consulted stakeholders on the M2M policy roadmap and is expected to unveil the first draft norms by March.

Telit, one of the companies consulted on the policy guidelines, said the department is working to plug loopholes, including the security of cloud-based services, scalability and software and hardware enhancements.

M2M is expected to grow from $10.4 billion in 2014 to $29.4 billion in 2017 globally, as per industry estimates. The M2M sector in India is at a nascent stage and may expand to a $15 billion business in five years.

With an initial outlay of Rs 1.13-lakh crore for the government’s big-ticket Digital India initiative, including the Rs 7,000 crore mega ‘Smart City’ programme, India’s M2M communications segment is expected to contribute 15-20% of the global market by 2020.