CDG announces special interest group to expand M2M communications

SAN DIEGO, USA: At the 3G CDMA Americas Regional Conference, the CDMA Development Group (CDG) announced the creation of a Special Interest Group (SIG) focused on machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, services and devices.

The CDG Smart Wireless Modules and Services SIG will help to enable its member companies -- and their customers in various vertical industries -- to leverage the data capabilities of CDMA2000(R) and its evolutionary next-generation technologies.

The SIG also aims to build upon the CDG device team's common set of requirements for embedded CDMA2000 devices to make the testing and certification process more open and streamlined across various operators' networks.

"Embedded wireless services are about to experience explosive growth, not only in vertical industries such as utilities, healthcare and fleet tracking, but also with consumer devices like e-readers," said Perry LaForge, executive director of the CDG.

"The CDG is intent on making the rapid growth of machine-to-machine connections over CDMA2000 networks as efficient as possible, especially for companies outside of the telecommunications industry."

The SIG announcement comes on the second day of the 3G CDMA Americas Regional Conference, which is focused on embedded wireless services and devices. The session highlights vertical industries that stand to benefit most from M2M communications and services, and provides specific details as to how streamlining device requirements, testing and certification will enable the expected influx of devices on CDMA2000 networks.

CDMA2000 1X and 1xEV-DO are considered ideal radio technologies to enable M2M communications due to their ubiquitous coverage, bit rates, reliability and security.

"The embedded cellular M2M module market has fared reasonably well through the economic turbulence of the last 12 to 18 months," said Sam Lucero, Director of ABI Research's M2M Connectivity Practice.

"Overall unit shipments in 2008 still showed positive growth at four percent and should be on track to grow by approximately 16 percent in 2009. Over the coming years, we expect the market to grow from about 25.7 million units shipped in 2008 to roughly 88.1 million units shipped in 2014."