Complexity, confusion among barriers to connected homes: McKinsey

TORONTO — For there to be wider adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) devices for the connected home, simpler value propositions must be presented to consumers, a conference heard Monday.

Marc Thibaut, a consultant with McKinsey & Company, made the statement in a keynote speech about value creation through connected homes at the ISP Summit in Toronto. The presentation was based on a 2016 field survey of 3,000 U.S. households.

CRTC should be flexible with zero-rating: Rogers

GATINEAU, Que. — While Rogers Communications Inc. said it generally does not support differential pricing practices (DPP), it suggested Wednesday that the regulator should stay flexible in its approach given potential developments in Internet of Things (IoT) technology.

Smart appliance shipments to grow tenfold by 2021: Juniper

In five years, the worldwide number of connected home appliance shipments will reach 202 million, compared to 17 million this year, according to Juniper Research Ltd.

The study found that “with the additional cost of including basic connectivity now less than $10, hardware manufacturers would increasingly introduce the functionality into many mass market as well as high-end items including fridges, ovens and washing machines,” the U.K.-based company said in a Tuesday press release.  

Government should have cyber security czar, senators hear

OTTAWA — Canada should have a federal “cyber czar” focused on the issue of cyber security, Peter Sloly, the former deputy chief of the Toronto Police Service and an executive director at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd., told senators Wednesday.

The cyber czar would “overarch ministries and other divisions of government in order to co-ordinate and develop a level of cyber capacity and update the strategy on a continual basis,” he said.

Canada needs to get on the digital wave or get left behind: Cisco rep

TORONTO — Most Canadian businesses are not prepared for the next wave of digital innovation and there needs to be a collaborative effort to help them adapt, a Cisco Systems Inc. representative told a conference on Thursday.

National strategy on IoT needed: analyst

TORONTO — A national strategy on Internet of Things (IoT) technology, involving businesses, academia and the government, should be developed in Canada to help the country compete, a conference heard Wednesday.

Currently, Canada does not have a true national strategy for IoT, whereas the United States and the United Kingdom have invested in such initiatives, Isabel Chapman, principal analyst at the U.K.-based Machina Research, said on a panel discussing the competitive landscape in Canada at the annual Connected Plus conference in Toronto.

Telus selling food-safety IoT service

Telus Corp. said it would sell an Internet of Things (IoT) service that monitors the temperature of food in transit, on a monthly billing basis.

Most health devices don’t explain personal info collection: OPC

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner said Thursday that 62 per cent of the health devices it examined as part of a global sweep didn’t “adequately explain how personal information is collected, used and disclosed.”

Demand for faster upload speeds growing: analysts

The need for upload speed is growing among Canadian consumers and businesses, though it’s too early to tell whether there’s real demand for symmetrical Internet plans that some companies have begun offering, according to analysts.

During the annual BMO Capital Markets’ media and telecom investor’s conference, Telus Corp. said that it has separated itself from the pack by offering symmetrical Internet, or plans where upload speeds are identical to download speeds.

First Canadian 5G trial wraps up

BCE Inc. and Nokia Corp. have completed a trial of 5G technology, which they say is the first such initiative in Canada.

“Conducted at Bell's Wireless Innovation Centre in Mississauga, the trial leveraged spectrum in the 73 GHz range to achieve sustained data speeds more than [six] times faster than top 4G mobile speeds now available in Canada,” Bell said in a press release Friday.

Infrastructure, spectrum among obstacles for connected cars

Traffic on the Internet of Things (IoT) is forecast to skyrocket over the coming years, and though vehicles will be part of that network, there are still a number of challenges, including infrastructure, security and spectrum, that have to be addressed before true “connected” cars can take to Canadian roads.

Facebook, AT&T defend differential pricing in CRTC review

Facebook Inc. and AT&T Inc. have waded into the CRTC’s review of differential pricing practices, arguing that the commission should allow carriers to offer zero-rated services and sponsored data.

Anglophone TV subs fall to 73%: MTM

The number of anglophones subscribing to TV service continues to fall, according to a new report by Media Technology Monitor (MTM), a project of CBC/Radio-Canada.

Internet traffic in Canada to nearly triple by 2020: Cisco

Data released Tuesday by Cisco Systems Inc. shows Canadian Internet protocol (IP) traffic will double, and overall Internet traffic will nearly triple by 2020, aided by an increase in new users and expanded use of devices.

In its Visual Networking Index Complete Forecast for 2015 to 2020, Cisco projects a “near-tripling” of global IP traffic by 2020 with an annual growth rate of 22 per cent over the next five years.

5G key to future wireless profitability, Ericsson’s CTO says

TORONTO — With customers’ usage of data increasing exponentially, and carriers limited in how much they can charge for that data, telecoms will have to turn to 5G networks, Ericsson Canada’s Dragan Nerandzic said at the Canadian Telecom Summit Monday.

IoT device connections to surpass mobile phones by 2018: report

The majority of the 28 billion devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) by 2021 won’t be mobile phones, according to the latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report.

IoT devices are expected to grow 23 per cent every year between 2015 and 2021, and will have passed mobile phones by 2018 as the most connected device, with a total of 16 billion, the report said.  

IoT growth poses challenges for regulators

OTTAWA — As the number of devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) increases, so, too, do the regulatory challenges to keep users safe, according to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s chief digital officer.

Canadian businesses split on IoT adoption: survey

Canadian businesses are divided when it comes to the adoption of Internet of Things (IoT), according to a new study commissioned by Telus Corp.

The study, released Thursday, found that 52 per cent of Canadian businesses are “considering, planning, piloting or deploying” an IoT service, while 48 per cent “indicated they have no plans at all to adopt the technology,” a press release said.

Smart homes on the rise: studies

Households with connected devices are increasing, according to a pair of studies studying smart home adoption.

The number of broadband-connected Canadian homes with smart home devices more than doubled, rising to 11 per cent, or 1.4 million households, in the first quarter of 2016 from five per cent in the same period a year earlier, suggested Parks Associates research released Wednesday.

Privacy sweep to examine IoT, health devices

Health devices will take the spotlight when Canada’s privacy commissioner participates in this week’s global examination of the Internet of Things (IoT).

The Global Privacy Enforcement Network’s 2016 privacy “sweep” is taking place from April 11-15, with data protection agencies focusing on the privacy communications and practices related to Internet-connected devices, according to a press release from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.

Rogers takes on troubleshooting with introduction of IoT as a service

Rogers Communications Inc.’s introduction of Internet of Things (IoT) management as a service removes the need for its business enterprise customers to troubleshoot their various applications and devices themselves, allowing them to focus on customer service, the company said.

Ignacio Paz, Rogers’ general manager of IoT, said in a phone interview that “to drive that adoption of IoT solutions, we as an industry … need to make it simple for our customers."

Canada needs digital skills to harness IoT opportunities: report

OTTAWA — If Canada is to reap the benefits of the global digital shift, it needs to stack its skilled labour deck or risk falling behind, said a new report by the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC).

In its national digital talent strategy released Wednesday, ICTC outlined a series of recommendations aimed at "strengthening Canada's competitiveness, creating jobs and growing the digital economy."

Cisco buying IoT company for $1.4B

Cisco Systems Inc. is making a bid to purchase Jasper Technologies Inc., a cloud-based Internet of Things (IoT) service provider that a number of Canadian telecoms have partnered with for their own IoT platforms.

Cisco said in a Wednesday press release that its plan is to pay $1.4 billion for the California-based company that helps businesses connect devices over cellular networks.

Cisco opens Toronto innovation centre

Cisco Systems Inc. on Tuesday announced the opening of its new innovation centre in Toronto.

It said in a press release that it's one of nine Cisco Innovation Centres around the world, and it will focus on accelerating and showcasing technology developments that help to solve "real world problems," such as issues related to cities, health care and financial services.

Cisco said the innovation centre will be a place of collaboration with other companies, schools and government.

IoT spending to nearly double by 2019: IDC

Worldwide spending on the Internet of Things will rise from $698.6 billion US this year to $1.3 trillion US in 2019, according to International Data Corp.

IDC said in a press release Thursday that the “regions that will experience the fastest growth in IoT spending over the five-year forecast period are Latin America,” with a 26.5 per cent compound annual growth rate, “followed by Western Europe, and Central and Eastern Europe.”

Wearable shipments up almost 200% in Q3: IDC

Worldwide wearable shipments rose 197.6 per cent with 21 million units shipped in the third quarter this year, up from 7.1 million units in the same period a year earlier, according to a new report released Thursday by International Data Corp.

Rogers to continue providing wireless services for Quebec government

Rogers Communications Inc. announced Wednesday it has signed an agreement with the Centre de services partagés du Quebec (CSPQ) to continue its wireless services for up to 10 years with the government of Quebec.

Rogers said in the press release that it will provide wireless technologies, including voice and data services, and connectivity for the Internet of Things (IoT) at the provincial and municipal levels.

Cellular data to grow 10 times by 2021: Ericsson

The amount of data flowing through cellular networks, both in North America and around the world, will increase almost 10 times over the next six years as growth in smartphone adoption continues and video consumption becomes more popular, according to reports released by Ericsson AB on Tuesday.

Ericsson said global mobile data this year is expected to average 5.3 exabytes a month and rise to 51 EB by 2021, as it increases by an average of 45 per cent a year over that time. (One exabyte is equal to about one billion gigabytes.)

FTTH to cover 90% of Bell footprint in 10 years: Cope

BCE Inc. will cover about 90 per cent of its wireline footprint with fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) in a little less or a little more than a decade, though the issue of whether smaller Internet service providers will get mandated access to such networks will affect the build-out in an unspecified fashion, Bell CEO George Cope said Thursday.

Cisco gives $1.8M for IoT research at Carleton University

Cisco Systems Inc. announced Tuesday it is partnering with Carleton University and providing a $1.8-million grant over the next nine years to establish a research chair in sensor technology for the Internet of Things (IoT).

It said in a press release that Mohamed Ibnkahla, an engineering professor in the department of systems and computer engineering at Carleton, has been appointed to the position and will focus on research to develop sensor networks and other technologies for the IoT.

Huawei, Telus to create 5G lab in Vancouver

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. said Friday that it has partnered with Telus Corp. to create a lab to help develop 5G technology.

It said in a press release that the project, called the 5G Living Lab, will design, test and deploy new technology in order to “deliver a next-generation converged fibre-wireless network in downtown Vancouver.”

Cloud traffic to surge in coming years: Cisco

Global cloud traffic will be four times higher than what it was in 2014 by 2019, Cisco Systems Inc. said this week, rising to 8.6 zettabytes from 2.1 zettabytes.

Cisco said in a press release Wednesday that its fifth annual global cloud index shows the growth rate of cloud data will outpace overall data centre traffic, which it said would triple to 10.4 ZB from 3.4 ZB.

Apple drives 500% increase in smartwatch shipments: report

Global smartwatch shipments were up 510 per cent in this year's third quarter from a year earlier, with 6.1 million units shipped compared to one million during the same period the previous year, according to a new report from Strategy Analytics released Wednesday.

Telus announces IoT-based insurance product

Telus Corp. on Thursday said customers of its Internet of Things commercial vehicle-tracking service can now access a data-based insurance product helps them save costs and encourage safe driving.

Telus said in a press release that Fleet Complete, its partner in the IoT-based service called Fleet Tracker, has teamed with Intact Insurance Co. to create an application called Fleet Solution, which existing customers of the tracking service could be eligible for.

NDP promises review of IoT privacy issues

In full election platforms released last week, the NDP is promising to implement changes to Canadian privacy law and look into Internet of Things (IoT) privacy, the Conservatives are pledging funding for rural broadband and cyber-security, and the Liberals say they would improve access to online government services.

Canadian wearable shipments to rise 55% this year: IDC

The Canadian wearable market is expected to get shipments of 1.4 million units by the end of 2015, up almost 55 per cent from 905,000 last year, according to International Data Corp. 

Rogers launches first Canadian music radio app for Apple Watch

Rogers Communications Inc. announced Monday that its KiSS 92.5 in Toronto is the first Canadian music radio station to launch an app for Apple Inc.’s Apple Watch.

It said in a press release that the app will allow users to instantly listen to a live stream of the station, along with scrolling through new playlists to see what is trending on the station.

BlackBerry completes acquisition of AtHoc

BlackBerry Ltd. announced Wednesday it has completed its acquisition of AtHoc Inc., a software provider for secure networked crisis communication.

It said in the press release that AtHoc will operate as a division of BlackBerry under the leadership of AtHoc's current CEO, Guy Miasnik. The release noted that AtHoc’s software will help people, devices and organizations exchanging confidential and critical documents securely and in real time. 

Almost three-quarters of companies using or deploying IoT: IDC

International Data Corp. said Tuesday that 73 per cent of enterprises it polled in a recent survey are using Internet of Things (IoT) technology or plan to do so over the next year.

“IoT awareness is gaining traction in the retail and manufacturing industries with 56% and 53% of respondents (respectively) showing high awareness of the IoT,” the company said in a press release.

In comparison, the government sector “lags behind in overall awareness and often needs clarification around the IoT basics,” it added.

Battery life top complaint of Apple Watch owners: survey

A new survey from research company 451 Research LLC. indicates high consumer satisfaction ratings with Apple Inc.’s Apple Watch, noting 54 per cent of consumers studied were very satisfied.

451 Research said in a press release Tuesday that, of those studied, 49 per cent said they liked the notifications best, followed by 41 per cent liking its health and fitness monitoring capabilities, and 30 per cent liking the esthetics and design.

Wearable shipments more than doubling this year: IDC

International Data Corp. said Monday that wearable shipments will reach 76.1 million units this year, up 163.6 per cent from the 28.9 million units shipped in 2014.

It said in a press release that total shipments of basic and smart wearables will reach 173.4 million units by 2019, resulting in a five-year average growth rate of 22.9 per cent.

Telus IoT platform goes global

Telus Corp. announced Wednesday it is expanding its Internet of Things (IoT) platform globally to nearly every country around the world.

It said in a press release that the new platform, called Telus Global IoT Connectivity Platform, has partnered with more than 70 carriers and offers a global SIM card for simplified billing across more than 200 networks.

AT&T announces first plug-in WiFi hotspot device for vehicles

U.S. wireless carrier AT&T said Tuesday that it has partnered with ZTE Corp.’s U.S. division to offer the first plug-in vehicle WiFi hotspot device.

The device, called ZTE Mobley, can be plugged into a car’s on-board diagnostics II port and once the vehicle is turned on it will power the device and create a WiFi connection, AT&T said in a press release. It also noted that ZTE Mobley is compatible with most vehicles 1996 and newer, and will allow up to five devices to connect to the Internet and use the hotspot data plan.

Wearables creating more data-driven workplace

Wearables and tracking tags are being used more frequently in a wider variety of workplaces to collect statistics on employee productivity, health and satisfaction — tracking the performance of professional athletes, helping doctors get to hospital patients quicker, and even monitoring stress levels of office workers.

FCC expands unlicensed use of spectrum

The FCC announced Thursday it is adopting new rules to accommodate unlicensed use of devices in the 600 MHz spectrum bandwidth and TV broadcast bands, while protecting interruptions or interference it may cause with licensed TV services.

The U.S. regulator said in a press release that unlicensed uses, including the use of garage door openers, cordless phones, products related to the Internet of Things (IoT), and others operating on WiFi or Bluetooth signals, were added to rules regarding these spectrum categories.

IoT-connected devices to triple by 2020

New data from Juniper Research Ltd. predicts the number of Internet of Things (IoT)-connected devices in the industrial and public services sectors will triple by 2020.

The research company said in a press release Tuesday the number of connected devices will rise over 285 per cent, growing to 38.5 billion in 2020, up from 13.4 billion in 2015.

Switch to IPv6 on as old IP addresses run out

The Internet has run out of new IP addresses based on the most commonly-used format, and one Canadian expert says service providers in the country are being too slow in making the switch to the newer protocol.

Samsung fitness bands rank highest in U.S. survey

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. ranks first among fitness-band makers for customer-satisfaction among U.S. residents, while Fitbit Inc. is second, according to a survey by J.D. Power and Associates.

It said in a press release Tuesday that Samsung's wearable fitness tracker scored high in terms of performance, style and appearance, variety of features, battery life and durability, while Fitbit was noted for its reliability, ease of use, durability and availability of apps.

Cisco to buy cloud security company OpenDNS

Cisco Systems Inc. announced Tuesday it is planning to acquire OpenDNS, a security systems company with offices in San Francisco and Vancouver.  

Telecom leaders sell IoT services to increasingly savvy market

Over the past year, there has been a key change in the Internet of Things (IoT) market, as customers have become more aware of the technology and what it can do for them, according to officials from Canadian telecom companies.

Eric Simmons, general manager of Rogers Communications Inc.'s machine-to-machine (M2M) division, said he's noticed more customers coming in with fully developed ideas about how they want to harness the technology to improve their business.

Wearables will increasingly use AI, say techies

OTTAWA — Those in the wearables industry envision the day when their products are taking less direction from humans and doing more thinking for themselves — in other words, incorporating more artificial intelligence (AI).

“We’re moving from this time where we manually created the Internet," Tom Emrich, organizer for the organization known as We Are Wearables, said during an event held in Ottawa Tuesday. "What we’re doing now is waking things up in this age of awareness.

SaskTel announces M2M management portal

Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. said Wednesday it has launched a machine-to-machine (M2M) management centre, which is an online portal for its business customers to control and monitor devices linked to an M2M connection.

SaskTel said the portal will allow customers to gain analytical information about their connected devices.

ITU defines roadmap to 5G

The United Nations’ International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the intergovernmental body that is responsible for establishing worldwide standards of communication systems, announced Friday it has defined a roadmap for 5G mobile network development.

It said in a press release that it has defined the process, goals and the timeline for development of 5G networks, and that it plans to discuss technical requirements of creating a 5G network for optimal performance with a goal of having the new system in place by 2020.

Privacy issues around wearables come into view

As wearable technology moves further into the mainstream, thoughts are turning toward how individual privacy can be protected with such devices that track and transmit information as personal as health data and real-time location.

Among the projects the Office of the Privacy Commissioner is slated to tackle over the next year is an analysis of fitness-tracker privacy and security.

Cellular IoT/M2M connections predicted to quadruple by 2019

The number of cellular Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) connections globally will nearly quadruple between 2014 and 2019, technology research group 451 Research LLC said Monday.

451 Research said in a press release that the number of connections will reach 908 million in 2019, up from 252 million last year.

Privacy commish to look at IoT privacy

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner will release a report on privacy issues related to the Internet of Things (IoT), according to its annual report released Tuesday.

The office will release an introductory paper and “companion reports” on the tracking of retail purchasing decisions, and smart homes and devices, it said.

Wearable apps to multiply in coming years: IDC

The number of third-party applications for smart wearable devices is expected to surge from 2,500 last year to 349,000 by 2019, International Data Corp. said Tuesday.

The research company said in a news release that most of these apps will be consumer oriented, though there is an opportunity for apps in the enterprise space. It said apps targeted specifically for enterprise-related tasks currently make up about 10 per cent of what’s available for smart wearables, and that is anticipated to grow to 17 per cent over the next four years.

Google launches IoT platform

Google Inc. will launch a new Android-based platform that will allow companies to build connected devices, it said in a blog post Thursday.

Google said the platform, called Project Brillo, will include a communications protocol, called Weave, as well as “a set of developer APIs, a core set of schemas and a certification program to ensure device and app interoperability.” Brillo will launch later this year, it said.

Prepare for 5G, says Huawei Canada boss

The president of Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.'s Canadian unit is calling for policy-makers, businesses and academics in Canada to come together and help prepare the country for the coming of 5G networking technology.

At a breakfast event hosted by the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce Thursday morning, Sean Yang was to call for the creation of a public policy group, comprised of various public- and private-sector players, to prepare Canada for this next stage in the evolution of communications technology.

Eastlink offers improved home-automation service

Eastlink on Tuesday announced it is offering a new and improved security-and-automation service for homes.

Among other things, the new service called Winston can detect when the home occupant is approaching the residence and prepare for their arrival by doing things things such as setting the temperature to preferred levels and turning on lights, Eastlink said in a press release.

The service also allows the occupant to provide unique codes to different people, such as kids or babysitters, and set parameters for when certain people can enter the home.

CGI teams incorporate usage-based insurance technology

IT-services company CGI Group Inc. said Wednesday it has teamed up with Baseline Telematics to use real-time vehicle metrics to help insurance company set their rates.

CGI said in a news release it would incorporate Baseline's platform, which tracks vehicle data such as location, mileage, speed, braking and acceleration, into CGI's own insurance-rating software called Ratabase.

Google taking self-driving cars to public roads

Google Inc. said Friday that the testing of its self-driving cars will move from its own track to public roads in its home base of Mountain View, Calif.

Google said in a blog post that cars on the public roads will not be able to drive faster than 25 miles per hour (40 km/h). Operators will be on board the vehicles to take over the controls if necessary.

Main IoT market to be worth $6.5B by 2018: IDC

The main Internet of Things (IoT) market will generate $6.5 billion in revenue in Canada in 2018, representing average annual growth of 18 per cent in comparison to the $2.88 billion the market was worth in 2013, International Data Corp. said Tuesday.

The research group said in a press release that a new report it has published shows that the biggest market sectors for providers of IoT technology and services will be manufacturing, health care, transportation and consumers, with consumers being the fastest growing of those markets.

Telus to invest $2.1 billion in Ontario

Telus Corp. announced Tuesday that it will spend $2.1 billion in Ontario by the end of 2018, the latest in a series of funding announcements from the company.

Recon Jet smart goggles released

Vancouver-based Recon Instruments announced Thursday the release of its new smart goggles for outdoor sports enthusiasts called Recon Jet.

It said in a press release that the product is equipped with GPS, a camera, a display that's visible just below a user's right eye and can be paired with smartphones for certain functions.

Telus to invest $4 billion in B.C. through 2018

Telus Corp. said Wednesday it will spend $4 billion on infrastructure and facilities in its home province of British Columbia over the next four years, including $1 billion this year.

The company said in a press release that the investment will include the expansion of its fibre-optic network, as well as the addition of LTE to every wireless site in the province.

Telus to make $4.2B investment in Alberta

Telus Corp. said Monday it will spend $4.2 billion on infrastructure and facilities in Alberta between now and the end of 2018, including $1 billion in the current year.

The company said in a press release that, when combined with operational spending, its total investment in Alberta over four years will amount to more than $11 billion.

IBM to build IoT division

International Business Machines (IBM) Corp. said Tuesday it will invest $3 billion US over the next four years to establish an Internet of Things (IoT) unit.

It said in a press release it will use its cloud-based platform to help business clients better integrate data from IoT devices and other sources into their decision-making.

Ericsson report finds one-third of consumers polled have or want wearables

A new report from Ericsson AG suggests Apple Inc.’s upcoming Apple Watch could address a market that's far larger than what current wearable sales would indicate.

In a worldwide study of more than 54,000 people, the technology maker examined the idea of the “quantified self,” in which individuals track their daily metrics such as calories consumed, steps taken or quality of sleep.

GSMA adds two M2M groups to IoT SIM standard

The GSMA, an international wireless industry group, announced Monday that two machine-to-machine communications (M2M) standards groups had adopted its embedded SIM specification for devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT).

The GSMA said the Global M2M Association, which includes BCE Inc. among its members, and the M2M World Alliance, which includes Rogers Communications Inc., will both use its SIM specifications for “remote over-the-air provisioning” of IoT devices.

Telus partners with Jasper on IoT

Telus Corp. announced Tuesday it is partnering with Internet of Things (IoT) platform provider Jasper Inc. for its own IoT platform, the Telus Control Centre.

The new platform “simplifies the deployment and management of IoT services by offering automated device provisioning, real-time diagnostics, integrated billing, and deep reporting and cost-management features,” Telus said in a release.

Bell to be part of M2M demo at Mobile World Congress

BCE Inc. will be among an international coalition of six telecommunications service providers demonstrating what it called a "revolutionary" new integrated platform for machine-to-machine (M2M) communications at next month's Mobile World Congress.

Rogers expands Smart Home service to Vancouver

Rogers Communications Inc. said Tuesday it has brought its Smart Home Monitoring service to Vancouver and other parts of British Columbia's Lower Mainland.

Rogers said in a press release there are multiple packages available, including remote access to door locks, lights, night-vision cameras and thermostats, on a system that features 24-hour links to police, fire and ambulance, as well as real-time messaging on various aspects of a protected home.

FTC report on IoT calls for self-regulation on security, privacy

On Monday the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a report on the Internet of Things that calls for manufacturers to implement strong self-regulation regarding security and privacy concerns and suggests regulators are taking a hard look at the companies promising a connected future.

The regulator called for businesses to take “concrete steps” to enhance security and privacy for users of devices such as connected home thermostats or wearable health monitors.

Prepare for automated vehicles now: Conference Board

Automated vehicles are about to become the most disruptive near-term technology in the average person's life, the Conference Board of Canada said in report released Wednesday.

The research group said the impact of driverless cars will be even more substantial than other technologies coming in future years, such as 3D printing and 5G wireless technology.

Canada will wait longer for self-driving cars: report

Google Inc.'s director of self-driving cars says such technology will be in operation in two to five years, but Canada will have to wait longer due to its climate, according to a report by the Financial Post.

An article posted online late Wednesday quoted Chris Urmson, speaking from the Automotive News World Congress in Detroit, saying that in cold climates ice could interfere with sensors on self-driving cars and snow could cover things that need to be sensed, such as stop signs.

Enterprise to assume bigger role in technology adoption: Deloitte

After a decade of consumers being the trendsetters in the adoption of emerging technology, the enterprise sector will take on a bigger role in 2015 as leaders in the use of cutting-edge IT products, according to a new report from Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd.

Redline gets $2.6M contract for Mideast network

Redline Communications Group Inc., a Markham, Ont.-based provider of wireless network technology for the oil-and-gas industry, announced on Thursday a $2.6-million contract with an unnamed oil producer in the Middle East.

Redline said in a press release the agreement was for the first phase of a wireless network that will facilitate automated processes for hundreds of oil wells.

BlackBerry launches IOT platform, BBM for wearables

BlackBerry Inc. said Wednesday from the CES technology trade show in Las Vegas that it launched an Internet of Things (IoT) platform, and that it will make its BBM service available on smartwatches.

Q&A: Talking IoT with Telus

The coming year is poised bring about new developments and changes in the worlds of technology and telecommunications. While a number these twists and turns will seemingly come out of nowhere, at least one predictable trend is that the so-called Internet of Things (IoT) will grow as a market and a presence in people's lives.

Wearables, OTT, IoT to rise in 2015: IDC

Greater consumer interest in wearable technology, growth in over-the-top (OTT) television subscriptions and greater prominence of the Internet of Things (IoT) are among the top trends in technology expected for next year in Canada, International Data Corp. said Monday.

Telus launches IoT marketplace

Telus Corp. said Wednesday it has launched Canada's "first Internet of Things marketplace" with an online offering of 38 different applications, and more to come, for business operations ranging from transportation to restaurants.

The company said in a press release its new online platform, the Telus IoT Marketplace, gives developers of IoT technology "an instant sales channel," with support in marketing and billing from Telus.

Ericsson, IBM working on 5G antennas

Ericsson AB and International Business Machines (IBM) Corp. announced Monday that they are working together researching antennas for the future era of 5G wireless communications.

The companies said in a press release that they will collaborate on designing antennas that meet key demands of the next generation of wireless standards, often referred to as 5G. That includes higher data capacity and more connections as new services and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications grow.

Government, Rogers pledge millions to wireless-support centre

Wavefront, a Vancouver-based centre that provides financial and consulting support for the wireless industry, was the recipient of funding pledges on Friday worth a combined $13.5 million from the federal government and Rogers Communications Inc.

BlackBerry releases new enterprise system

BlackBerry Ltd. on Thursday announced the availability of its latest system for enterprise management of mobile devices.

The new system is called BES12, which BlackBerry said in a press release "is the foundation for BlackBerry's extensive portfolio of enterprise security, productivity, and communication and collaboration services that will help organizations securely connect employees with each other and with the corporate information and machines that are required to get their jobs done."

Public not yet sold on Internet of Things: survey

The Internet of Things has been compared to the Industrial Revolution in terms of its eventual impact, though the general public is not yet fully aware of it nor convinced of its value, according to a recent study.

That’s the takeaway from a study of U.S. residents by Acquity Group, a marketing and research firm owned by Accenture Inc., which found that 87 per cent of consumers hadn’t heard of the term “the Internet of Things.”

Labelling requirements eased for wearables

Industry Minister James Moore announced Friday that the government is easing labelling requirements for electronic devices by allowing information to be displayed electronically on the devices' screens rather than in a physical display on gadgets.

A news release from Industry Canada said the changes take effect immediately, and it mentioned wearable devices, such as glucose monitors, as the type of equipment that would be affected.

Telus, Mojio promise connected-car solution this year

Telus Corp. and technology maker Mojio Inc. announced on Tuesday they will team up to provide a connected-car service in Canada before the end of this year.

In a joint press release, the companies said the service will use Telus' national wireless network to connect to the Internet and employ a cellular device from Vancouver-based Mojio that connects to vehicle's onboard diagnostic port, which is on most cars manufactured since 1996.