Last year was supposed to be when the Internet of Things took the world by storm. Even though it didn’t happen, it’s not stopping AT&T from trying its hand at IoT in 2016 with a new line of smart modules.
The LTE-enabled sensors, which the company showed off at CES 2016, will connect to AT&T’s 4G LTE network to allow for the speedy transfer of data between devices. The modules are made to equip Internet of Things devices with cost-effective methods of connectivity.
AT&T announced a family of sensors, created in partnership with Wistron NeWeb Corporation, that range from the simple LTE-only option—which provides extended battery life via low current energy—to modules equipped for GPS location, voice, and data.
The reason for AT&T’s branching out into modules with the Internet of Things in mind is obvious: According to a new report by the company, it said it expected to 50 billion devices to be online within in the next four years.
AT&T will show off the modules at the AT&T Developer Summit in Las Vegas on Tuesday. They will be commercially available in the second quarter of 2016, with prices starting at $14.99 each.
Photo via Peter Kaminski/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)