South African Breweries (SAB), a subsidiary of global brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), is using an IOT solution to track and monitor the temperature and location of its coolers and fridges across South Africa.

In conjunction with UK-based Thingstream, focused on enterprise connectivity for IOT applications, SAB has deployed a Fridgelogic Connected Cooler system that delivers real time information from cooling units for possible maintenance tasks.

Thingstream supports the system using MQTT (Message Queue Telemetry Transport) over the globally-available GSM network to offer live universal IOT connectivity.

Its real-time IOT feeds are interpreted to create an understanding that enables SAB to plan in an efficient and effective way. It will also embolden the promotion of the company's products to full potential.

"Our experience thus far confirms Africa is fully embracing IOT, quicker than many other territories," said Neil Hamilton, Thingstream's VP Business Development. "Key industries such as agriculture and mining feed global supply chains; these supply chains which demand efficiency for the greater good of everyone (carbon reduction, waste reduction etc.)."

Specifically, Hamilton notes that examples of IOT in demand will be buoyed by "the 'fail fast' approach to solving business problems using technology" in a country like South Africa.

This is because the approach "seems to be much faster" there and "engineers turn around proof of concepts very quickly, enabling business to make decisions quicker."

Gartner expects M2M communication to generate over US$300-billion (mostly in services) by 2020 leading to US$1.9-trillion in global economic value.

African, much like its global counterparts, will need a catalyst of some sort to speed up the IOT uptake process.

Hamilton suggests two key areas to accelerate IOT adoption. "The first being for companies to see real examples of how leading enterprises are driving efficiencies or new revenues from embracing IOT. The second that 'adopting' IOT is made easy because there are so many components to a solution."