Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1132978
July/August/September 2019 I 11 Security and Safety IoT Path Fulfilled: 5G The reason why there is so much emphasis on IoT is the diminishing size and cost of sensor technologies; the same sensor data may be used differently, depending on the industry. With the recent California Camp Fire, a mega-fire event comprised of numerous city-killing individual fires, the need for massive IoT, early detection systems, communica- tions resiliency for first responders and transportation and evacuation management has been magnified. The case for 5G's network slicing and differentiation of sensors validates that all use cases are not equal. Massive IoT (referring to applications that are less latency sensitive and have relatively low throughput require- ments, but require a huge volume of low-cost, low- energy consumption devices on a network) does not necessarily need mission critical communications support as do first responders. The support of mobile broadband for streaming entertainment media must not impact either massive IoT or critical Machine Type Communi- cations (cMTC). Finally, the application of FWA where possible supports smaller communities near smart cities and brings vital services to rural areas via "last mile" and other infrastructure deployments. With FWA and 5G mobile broadband, the lives of first responders will be saved via advanced communications; however, the security industry has the great opportunity to leverage long range AI-based object recognition and thermal imaging alerts via FWA with the potential to contain a wildfire or other disaster well before it scales to destruction. ICT Leaps Forward: 5G & IoT An IoT device is a simple piece of technology, comprising a small computing unit, memory, sensing/display capability, communication and power. A security IoT device is a specialized sensor capable of detecting and recognizing things via object recognition, acoustic signature, video metadata, laser points, radar echoes and even temperature differences. When deployed in large numbers, these sensors can manage city traffic, identify faces, streamline operations, enhance the security and safety of people and even enable more efficient use of power. However, this is made possible only by design, installa- tion and performance of wireless or wired infrastructure. The BICSI RCDD is in a unique position to efficiently deploy infrastructure to suit the use case, connected sensors, and ecosystem scalability—not the other way around. So where exactly does the bulk of the processing happen? Will end users spend more on edge devices and their platforms, good for the way the security industry conducts business, or will most costs move to a sophisticated, elastic cloud platform in a pay-as- you-consume model? With whom will the ICT professional choose to partner: the web services/platform providers, the Over the Top (OTT) providers who offer communications and streaming services across IP networks or the edge hardware and application developers? The OTT provider goes "over" a traditional cable/broadcast provider con- nection via 5G or FWA-based internet connectivity. It seems like the 5G providers, such as Verizon and AT&T, will be playing the link role between platforms and edge IoT devices, so BICSI and SIA members should partner with solution providers in both categories. What will be the backbone for the new IoT offerings? In the ICT network slice pyramid the "massive IoT" means an exponential number of sensors increasing, limited only by cost and availability of supporting infrastructure. Smart cities cannot even commence technology deployment without ICT, and they require a skilled project management team that includes BICSI RCDD and SIA Certified Security Project Manager (CSPM) credential holders. The BICSI RCDD is in a unique position to efficiently deploy infrastructure to suit the use case, connected sensors, and ecosystem scalability—not the other way around.