What do WalMart, DoD, drug companies, gambling casinos, cattle ranchers and many others lately have in common regarding telecommunication technology?
They are deploying RFID technology in their operations. Whether tracking incoming shipments, enemy movements, casino betting chips or mad cows, RFID is the intelligence gathering technology of the future. Think of extending the Internet the last ten feet wirelessly.
So where does RFID impact telecommunications service providers?
The "no-brainier" RFID applications are Inventory Management, Asset/Parts Tracking, Theft Protection, etc., which are the same applications driving other industry segments to deploy RFID technology. These applications produce ROI results in the operations expense category.
The big return will be in the new revenue opportunities generated if telcos catch onto the idea of becoming RFID application service providers. The WalMarts and the DoDs can spend the $100s of millions on back-office infrastructure to analyze RFID intelligence data, but small business and consumers cannot.
The telecoms are in a unique position here. They know where their customers RFID devices are, they have access authentication and control capabilities, billing relationship, brand recognition and more.
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