A report from ITU and Cisco sees IoT as a major development opportunity

The International Telecommunication Union and Cisco Systems issued a report on ‘Harnessing the Internet of Things for Global Development’, outlining that IoT is a ‘ major global development opportunity that has the potential to improve the lives of millions and dramatically accelerate progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals’. The report notes that IoT already has significant impact on areas such as health care and education in developing countries, and estimates that IoT devices could ‘positively transform communities within a time frame that would have been unimaginable even a few years ago’. The availability, affordability, and scalability of IoT devices are analysed in the report.