Machine-to-Machine (M2M) refers to technologies that allow both wireless and wired
systems to communicate with other devices (wikipedia.org). This is accomplished
through the use of telemetry, which is a language machines use when communicating
with each other. Such communication was originally accomplished by having a remote
network of machines relay information back to a central hub for analysis, which would
then be rerouted into a system such as a personal computer. However, modern M2M
communication has expanded beyond a one-to-one connection and changed into a
system of networks that transmits data to portable personal electronics (Prepaid MVNO
http://www.prepaidmvno.com). The expansion of wireless networks across the world
has made it far easier for M2M communication to take place and has lessened the
amount of power and time necessary for information to be communicated between
machines (Lanza, 2011).
The introduction of the Internet, wireless devices and cloud computing have greatly
expanded the possible uses of M2M communication (DSTI/ICCP/CISP, 2011). The
data collected can now be combined and used in a variety of ways. The same data
may be used in different contexts on different devices. For example, municipal employees
collecting refuse can be signaled by the container with regard to its volume and the
date of previous collection. City administrators and ratepayers can monitor the efficiency
of the service, as well as assist in the design of service improvements or the convenience
of their personal use (OECD, 2012).
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