Dialog wins ‘Industrial IoT Initiative of the Year’ at GLOTEL Awards 2019

From left: Telecoms.com Editorial Director Scott Bicheno, Dialog Axiata Product and Service Innovation Head Chathura Peiris, and Awards Host – British Comedian and Actor Miles Jupp

Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider, won the coveted ‘Industrial IoT Initiative of the Year’ award for its affordable and purpose-built IoT solutions for industries in emerging markets, at the seventh annual Global Telecoms Awards (GLOTEL Awards) held in London, recognising innovation and excellence from companies involved in advancing and transforming today’s global telecommunications industry. Among the shortlisted for this category were ZTE, Aptilo Networks, A1 Telekom Austria, and Qualcomm. 

Dialog recognised the importance of solution providers’ ability to control all elements in IoT technology stack; devices, network, platform and consumer applications, as central to successfully implementing industrial IoT applications in emerging markets. Dialog developed its IoT Solutions on Axiata’s Xpand IOT platform (https://iot.xpand.asia/) and launched a Narrow Band IoT (NB-IoT) network to create customised yet affordable industrial IoT devices locally. 

To overcome the challenge of building an affordable industrial IoT device, Dialog engaged the team at the Mobile Communications Research Laboratory, which was established by Dialog Axiata PLC in 2004 in partnership with the Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering at University of Moratuwa, to research and develop nationally and regionally significant applications using emerging technologies.

These affordable and purpose-built solutions comprise of a range of industrial IoT applications, enabled by the i-Moni IoT Gateway for smart infrastructure monitoring and automation, state-of-the-art utility IoT applications enabled by smart communication modules for smart metering, and network monitoring devices for low voltage power distribution network monitoring. The solutions were developed end-to-end in Sri Lanka by Dialog together with the Dialog-University of Moratuwa Mobile Communications Research Laboratory, and industry partners Axiata Digital Labs (ADL) and Lanka Electricity Company (LECO).

Commenting on the win, Dialog Axiata PLC Group Chief Innovation Officer and Chief Architect Anthony Rodrigo said, “We are honoured to have been recognised by Global Telecoms Awards (GLOTEL Awards) for Dialog Axiata’s innovative, affordable and purpose-built IoT solutions for industries in emerging markets. Our appreciation goes to the Dialog-University of Moratuwa Mobile Communications Research Laboratory, which was instrumental in developing i-Moni IoT Gateways, Smart Meter Communication modules and the network monitoring devices for low voltage power distribution network monitoring. 

“Cost of industrial IoT solutions is a significant drawback in emerging markets. By lowering the product costs and offering innovative custom-built solutions, Dialog Axiata aims to leapfrog industries in emerging markets towards the fourth industrial revolution, a strategy that has been recognised internationally by GSMA and locally by the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka.”

Speaking on their contribution towards the GLOTEL Award, Dialog-UoM Mobile Communications Research Laboratory Director Prof. Dileeka Dias said, “Working with our industry partners has given us the unique opportunity to apply our capabilities towards innovating products and that has the potential to make a global impact. This award, selected from among competing entries of giants in the global telecommunications industry, is a significant recognition for Sri Lankan-born high-tech products.”