Verizon joined the International City/County Management Association in expanding the reach of its IoT business
Verizon Communications expanded the potential reach of its “Internet of Things” operations, announcing it had joined the International City/County Management Association at the executive partner level. ICMA said it plans to work “specifically with Verizon’s Smart Communities Division.”
“Their expertise on wireless and infrastructure technologies and how cities, towns and local communities can use them to better serve their residents is knowledge that will greatly benefit our members,” said ICMA Executive Director Robert O’Neill, Jr., in a statement.
Verizon said it plans to partner with the organization on “several content and educational projects through the year.” The carrier has begun to more publicly push its IoT platform, which it bolstered last year through the launch of its ThingSpace IoT business.
Verizon last month released results from a survey on the IoT space, noting strong year-over-year connection growth from the energy/utility sector, followed by transportation/distribution, home monitoring, smart cities, agriculture and, bringing up the rear, health care/pharmaceutical.
“In our view, 2015 was the year IoT gained legitimacy,” Verizon noted in regards to the report. “Businesses budged off a ‘start small think big’ mindset. Today, they’re building IoT into future strategies and business models. Companies across all industries now have IoT squarely on their radar. The worldwide ‘Internet of Things’ market spend will grow from $591.7 billion in 2014, to $1.3 trillion in 2019, with a compound annual growth rate of 17%. The installed base of IoT endpoints will grow from 9.7 billion in 2014, to more than 25.6 billion in 2019, hitting 30 billion in 2021.”
ICMA said it created the Strategic Partners Program in 1996, with the focus on attracting private sector participation in its programs and activities. The organization claims to provide support to more than 10,000 “city, town, and county experts, and other individuals and organizations throughout the world.”
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