Ericsson claims that its Cloud Connect service, which is part of its IoT Accelerator, makes it easier for businesses to securely connect cellular devices to public cloud IoT endpoints like AWS IoT Core.

According to the Ericsson Mobility Report, organizations are progressively outsourcing device authentication and data management to public cloud providers such as Amazon Web Services, with an expected five billion cellular IoT devices in use by the end of 2026.

Enterprises using Ericsson IoT Accelerator to manage cellular devices like sensors, meters, or tracking devices now have a simpler way to connect to the existing secure AWS server thanks to IoT Accelerator Cloud Connect, which shifts sophisticated encryption from the device to the cellular network’s edge.

“Our cellular-connected smart locks with digital keys application are used for banks, hotels, universities, office buildings, shared labs, and apartments,” said Steve Dunn, CEO of Digital Keys, a smart IoT security company. “Every smart lock contains a SIM card that must securely connect to cellular networks and the Amazon Web Services cloud. Ericsson’s IoT Accelerator Cloud Connect made the process go smoothly,” he added.

Communication service providers CSPs, who use IoT Accelerator to provide worldwide cellular connectivity, play a critical role in the IoT ecosystem. With more than 35 global CSPs now on board, IoT Accelerator allows businesses of all sizes to manage their devices’ global connectivity. AWS IoT Core is now easier to connect to.

Cristoff Martin, chief marketing officer at Telenor Connexion, said: “This capability, integrated with our IoT cloud service also developed together with AWS, will allow even more efficient development and operation of new connections taking benefit of network technologies like narrowband-IoT and the superior security capabilities of mobile networks in general.”

Jan Willem Smeenk, the chief architect at Sodaq, a solar-powered asset tracking company that specializes in scalable IoT hardware and software, added: “It is costly and complicated to connect our smart asset trackers securely, but with Ericsson as a key partner, we were able to order SIM cards from the operator on IoT Accelerator, insert them into our device with no additional encryption or certificate management required. Then, using Ericsson’s IoT Accelerator Cloud Connect, the device is authorized and automatically provisioned to the target AWS destination. It was simple and can serve our customers of any scale and size.”

Each connected device must use transport layer security (TLS) encryption for all communications when connecting to AWS IoT Core. The IoT Accelerator service offers a plug-and-play option with Cloud Connect. In this case, businesses benefit from simple device activation that tunnels to the cellular infrastructure’s edge before immediately self-provisioning to AWS and securely connecting via Cloud Connect provided encryption and keys.

Rauno Jokelainen, chief technology officer at Uros Group, a digital water services company, said: “We see high value with the use of Cloud Connect in the Uros sense liquid quality-as-a-service to provide real-time water quality detection to the municipalities and enterprises around the world in an easily deployable manner. With this, we can bring the peace of mind to the CIOs of the municipalities that their water networks are monitored in a secure manner.”

Cloud Connect allows devices to connect to AWS IoT Core with unencrypted but privately protected communications over cellular networks using MQTT or narrowband UDPs like constrained application protocol (CoAP), resulting in lower power and data consumption.

By removing the requirement to operate public end-to-end internet encryption, Cloud Connect enables low-powered devices to cut mobile data by up to 95 percent and prolong battery life by up to 50 percent.

“As enterprises connect more IoT devices to the public cloud, they want an easy and secure way to ingest IoT device data to AWS,” said Michael MacKenzie, general manager for AWS IoT connectivity and control. “Simple solutions like Ericsson’s IoT Accelerator Cloud Connect give enterprises flexibility by leveraging AWS IoT to easily manage and authorize devices, use zero-touch provisioning, and ensure data are encrypted and secure.”

Kyle Okamoto, general manager for IoT at Ericsson, added: “Ericsson’s IoT Accelerator Cloud Connect removes barriers for enterprises to connect their IoT devices to numerous public clouds and to optimize the IoT data management infrastructure offered by providers like AWS. This means a faster time to market for enterprise devices and products. We are excited to offer this service to our IoT Accelerator community of over 7000 enterprises globally.”