By Simon Boyd, International Sales Lead at Deutsche Telekom IoT

A SIGNIFICANT portion of the logistics industry has historically operated in ‘the dark’. Millions of assets, including pallets, crates, and trailers, have remained unconnected and frequently go missing. However, the rise of Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) networks is changing the economics of tracking these items.

Simon Boyd, Sales Lead for Deutsche Telekom IoT in the UK explains: “Tracking is no longer just about those high-value items. A low power network allows us to have financial viability for lower value items as well. This helps to reduce loss, search time and buffer stocks, and it is in these areas where delays and costs reside.”

This shift is particularly impactful for industries dealing with returnable transport items. The historical precedent for this technology was set by the brewing industry, where beer kegs represented a significant investment that needed careful management. By applying tracking by exception, companies can now manage vast fleets of pallets and crates without the need for constant, battery-draining updates. Instead, the system alerts the manager only when an asset moves where it should not or arrives at a specific destination.

 

Reactive to predictive

The transition from reactive to predictive logistics is perhaps the most exciting development for supply chain managers. While data is abundant, the challenge lies in breaking down the silos that prevent a holistic view of the operation. Often, a transport manager plans a route while a separate department monitors temperature or dwell time, but the dots are rarely joined. This lack of integration leads to hidden inefficiencies.

Simon says: “The inefficiency for me is not so much a lack of data because companies can have sensors on everything. It is actually connecting the dots between all that data to be able to make an informed decision on what is going on. If you look at a company, the data is usually in individual silos.”

To illustrate how data can be used more effectively, Boyd pointed to the railway industry. Trains use sand buckets to gain traction on icy tracks. By monitoring where and when sand is dropped, rail companies can identify specific problem areas on the network and make adjustments. This same predictive logic can be applied to road logistics. For example, if vehicles crossing the Yorkshire Moors frequently encounter freezing temperatures that force route changes, a predictive system could reroute the fleet before the delay even occurs.

Simon explains further: “The companies that win are going be the companies that use data to reduce uncertainty because those uncertainties lead to inefficiencies, and that is what leads to costs.”

Szilard Baradits, Senior Marketing Manager, Deutsche Telekom IoT adds: “A powerful case study for us was a gardening company transporting flowers, where it wasn’t just about tracking pallets, it was about monitoring the condition of the flowers. This helped the company get the flowers where they needed to go and in the right condition at the right time.”

Connectivity first

In a world first, Deutsche Telekom recently launched multi-orbit IoT roaming, a breakthrough that allows for seamless switching between cellular and satellite networks. This is not intended to replace cellular coverage, but to act as a vital overlay in remote areas and routes where terrestrial networks are unavailable. For high-value assets moving across oceans or through remote regions where cellular signals fail, satellite connectivity ensures that no data gaps exist.

“Satellite isn’t going to replace cellular,” Simon emphasises. “It is about being an infill to the cellular network, which has 95% geographic coverage. It is about filling in those gaps globally and again it’s about tracking goods by exception.”

The beauty of this solution lies in its simplicity for the end user. Deutsche Telekom provides a multi-mode SIM card that functions across 5G, 4G, 3G, Narrowband IoT, LTE-M, and satellite. This removes the need for logistics companies to manage multiple SIM types for different regions or transport methods. Whether a pallet is sitting in a bonded warehouse for months or moving across a border, the connectivity remains constant and reliable.

Parcels

The parcel delivery sector is another area seeing explosive growth and innovation. The rise of smart lockers and click-and-collect points has added new layers of complexity to the logistics chain. Monitoring these lockers is essential to ensure they are sized correctly for the volume of parcels they receive and to maintain security. Deutsche Telekom’s flexible approach also helps companies manage seasonal spikes, such as the rush for Christmas or Valentine’s Day, by allowing SIM cards to be paused or activated as needed.

“Logistics companies will take on board many extra drivers for Peak, so they don’t want a SIM card that is going be connected for three years. They want a SIM card that they can switch on and switch off as they need it, and that is where the flexibility that Deutsche Telekom offers can come into play,” explains Simon.

Reduce complexity

Despite the excitement surrounding these technologies, many firms worry that IoT is too complex to deploy at scale. The advice from the experts is clear: start with the problem, not the technology. By working backwards from a specific challenge and running a pilot programme, companies can avoid the “data overload” that often leads to paralysis.

Simon says: “My advice to them would be work back from the problem that you are trying to solve, and from there then put a pilot together, prove that it works and prove that it addresses the challenge, and then scale it up from there. The reality is that if the connectivity stops, the revenue stops. So, you want a reliable connectivity partner there from the start.”

Deutsche Telekom reduces complexity in logistics with global roaming, reliable coverage, one contract and one dedicated contact, customers can connect their assets worldwide without managing multiple providers. Integration is a key piece of the puzzle. Deutsche Telekom focuses on providing a robust connectivity layer that can API into existing systems like SAP or Azure. This ensures that IoT data does not become just another silo but is instead integrated into the company’s broader infrastructure.

Warehouse robotics

Deutsche Telekom also plays in the burgeoning field of warehouse robotics. For robots to function safely and efficiently, they require more than just a connection; they need precise positioning. Deutsche Telekom, in partnership with Swift Navigation, offers a Real-Time Kinematics (RTK) solution that provides accuracy down to two or three centimetres. This is a gamechanger for autonomous forklifts and vehicles operating in busy environments.

Simon enthuses: “It takes the GNS signal from a satellite, which might give you an accuracy of four to five metres, and it overlays that with base stations on Earth, which shrinks the accuracy down to about two to three centimetres. If you think of an autonomous forklift driving along, if that forklift is four metres outside of its designated area, that is a massive difference, and that could be driving into buildings, driving into other vehicles, driving into people.”

This level of precision is becoming vital as logistics hubs become more automated. Whether it is an autonomous vehicle fuelling an aircraft at a busy airport or a robot navigating a narrow warehouse aisle, the margin for error is incredibly slim. Treating connectivity as a critical infrastructure rather than a mere commodity is essential for the safety and success of these operations.

“Do you really want to run your logistics business with an ‘it’ll do’ attitude? Because if connectivity stops, then wrong decisions are made, revenue potentially could be stopped, and your reputation with your customer comes into play as well. Get us in at an early stage, talk to us about what it is that you want to achieve, and then let’s streamline the connectivity to make sure that it does what you want,” he says.

Security

Security remains a paramount concern as supply chains become more digital. Deutsche Telekom builds in multiple layers of protection, from standard network encryption to private Access Point Names (APNs) that keep data off the public internet.

Simon explains: “We obviously have the encryption that is standard over the network, but we can also build on extra layers of security. If a customer, for example, wants a private APN to keep all of the data off the internet to help combat hackers, we can set that up for them.”

Ultimately, the future of logistics is bright for those who embrace the power of integrated, reliable, and precise data. By leveraging the latest in IoT and satellite technology, companies can finally step out of the dark and into a world of total visibility. This technological leap enables businesses to scale efficiently, maintain security, and increase profitability.

For more information, visit iot.telekom.com/gb

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author biography:

Simon Boyd is International Sales Lead – IoT at Deutsche Telekom IoT, where he helps businesses unlock the value of connected products, devices and assets through secure, scalable and global connectivity. With deep experience in IoT and telecommunications, Simon works with organisations across sectors to simplify deployment, accelerate innovation and build commercially sustainable connected solutions.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boydsimon/