IoT Security, Not Market Structure, Likely to be Regulator Concern

Though policymakers now debate the best market structure for mobility suppliers (are two, three or four suppliers necessary to support robust investment, innovation and consumer benefit?), it seems unlikely they will have similar quandaries about coming special-purpose IoT networks.

For starters, there is no “consumer interest” to weigh, as IoT networks will be about machine-to-machine applications, not human communications. There are potential economic angles, but not the traditional “consumer welfare” concerns.

In other words, market structure and standards are likely to be “market driven,” not created by standards bodies, as will be the case for 5G. That is not to deny some big issues.

Cyber-security is likely to become a huge concern, though security likewise is not the sort of issue traditional regulation is best suited to handle. So to the extent regulation becomes an issue, it is unlikely to concern market structure, but rather security requirements for devices and services.