AT&T wants to be a go-to provider for developers and enterprises that are creating IoT (Internet of Things) projects, and is hoping a new $99 dollar IoT Starter Kit is just the thing to generate buzz and interest. Here are the details from AT&T's announcement this week:
The IoT Starter Kit provides everything needed to help developers take advantage of next-generation 4G LTE connectivity, enabling tech innovators to create IoT solutions quickly and efficiently. This "plug and play" model means developers no longer need to purchase technology from multiple vendors to get a new IoT project started. They now have the complete package to build their solutions from scratch.
The new IoT Starter Kit includes:
An AT&T Global SIM that works in 200+ countries and territories.
An LTE modem that runs on the AT&T LTE network.
Access to AT&T Control Center, an industry-leading IoT connectivity management platform.
An expandable development board that works with a wide range of plug-in sensors.
An API to monitor the network connection and data transfer.
REST APIs, including easy-to-follow documentation and the ability to quickly test APIs without any coding.
Cloud storage to host, manage and share data across multiple groups.
Access to AT&T Flow Designer which helps developers launch IoT apps in minutes.
Microcontroller carrier board with Arduino™ compatible expansion slot
"Developers are the ones driving innovation in the IoT industry," said Chris Penrose, senior vice president, AT&T IoT Solutions. "Our new IoT Starter Kit creates a faster and easier way for them to create IoT solutions. We're now offering a one-stop shop to help transform their ideas into impactful IoT services."
AT&T developed the kit along with Avnet and Cisco. It includes access to AT&T Control Center, which is based on Cisco's Jasper IoT management and provisioning platform. However, other versions of the kit will be offered for third-party IoT platforms such as Microsoft Azure IoT and IBM Watson IoT, according to a statement.
The initial kit will be available in August. AT&T will also make the kits available to developers that compete in the hackathon event at its SHAPE conference this week.
There are some limitations on the kit, which is understandable given the price point and AT&T's ultimate goal of getting developers on the hook and then expanding their usage of its services. The SIM card comes with a 6-month developer plan limited to 300MB of data.
"Developers ranging from home enthusiasts on upwards will want to get their hands on this," says Constellation Research VP and principal analyst Andy Mulholland. "It's a breakthrough to get you started and what is in the box is a good value to get some skin in the game."
The data allotment is "enough for commissioning and an early couple of trials to figure out the basics, but clearly not enough for full-scale developing and testing," Mulholland adds. "However, it does make that first step amazingly easy."
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