Pelion has published research on international IoT connectivity trends among business users, pointing to rising cross-border device deployments and growing operational strain.

The survey, produced with ABI Research, covered 676 IoT decision-makers at major businesses worldwide, including 255 in the UK. It found that organisations expect the share of internationally connected devices in their fleets to rise from 29 per cent today to 49 per cent by 2030.

That shift marks a move away from domestic deployments in sectors including energy, logistics and manufacturing. Businesses in those industries use connected devices to track assets, monitor equipment, manage supply chains and automate processes across multiple markets.

The findings suggest that the main pressure point in IoT roll-outs has moved beyond basic network access. Companies are now grappling with the practical demands of running connected fleets across different mobile networks, jurisdictions and compliance regimes.

A shortage of skills emerged as the biggest single obstacle to successful deployments. Some 60 per cent of respondents said a lack of internal or external expertise delayed or blocked projects, ahead of budget constraints and connectivity issues.

Operational complexity also ranked above simple coverage gaps as a day-to-day problem. Nearly two-thirds, or 65 per cent, said managing deployments outside their core cellular coverage area was their biggest scaling challenge, while 41 per cent cited coverage limitations.

Security concerns

The survey also highlighted growing concern over security as connected estates become larger and more dispersed. Almost one in four organisations, or 24.6 per cent, said they had suffered an IoT-related security incident in the past year.

Among those incidents, 30 per cent resulted in losses of more than USD $100,000 and 8 per cent led to losses above USD $1 million. The figures suggest that security failures in connected operations can have material financial consequences for affected companies.

The report also tracked a shift towards newer eSIM standards for connected devices. It forecast that SGP.32-compliant profile downloads, described as the first eSIM standard designed specifically for IoT deployments, would account for 45 per cent of deployments by 2030, up from 7.6 per cent today.

That points to a market in which businesses want more flexible ways to provision and manage connectivity across borders. It also aligns with findings showing buyer interest in service models that span several networks under a single management structure.

Buying patterns

More than three-quarters, or 77 per cent, of respondents not currently using a mobile virtual network operator said they would consider one for their next deployment. They cited flexibility, simpler management and access to multiple networks.

In the UK, the findings come as the IoT sector remains closely tied to wider digital industrial policy. The digital technology workforce is estimated at 1.3 million people and generates more than £158 billion in Gross Value Added for the British economy, equivalent to about 6 per cent of current output.

Pelion, which began in Scotland as Stream Technologies in 2000, says it now serves more than 1,000 enterprise clients across a range of industries. The company focuses on IoT mobile connectivity and management services.

Chief Executive Officer Dave Weidner set out the company’s view of the market in comments released with the findings.

“Connectivity itself is no longer the difficult part of enterprise IoT. The challenge comes when enterprise customers take their fleets internationally, grow in scale, and operate across multiple networks, jurisdictions and regulatory environments. Organisations are increasingly looking for partners that can simplify that operational complexity rather than add to it,” Weidner said.

“The potential for an IoT revolution is significant, but only if we can overcome some of the critical infrastructure, security and expertise barriers holding deployment back. If we can overcome some of the short-term challenges, the future of enterprise IoT connectivity will be increasingly borderless, managed and eSIM-enabled, with buyers placing greater emphasis on security architecture, advisory services and unified management platforms when selecting connectivity providers,” he said.

An Oxfordshire Brewers Fayre and a Beefeaters have been put up for sale after Whitbread announced it was going to cut 3,800 jobs at the restaurant chains, amid a restructure in the company.

The proposed redundancies will come as the owner of Premier Inn shuts the two brands, although a spokesperson added that it would try to retain as many staff as possible.

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Included in its strategy Whitbread said it will sell and lease back many of its freehold properties and this week the Brewers Fayre in Oxford Road, Bicester has been listed for £950,000.

Nor is it the only property in the chain to have been put up for sale with others in Bishop Auckland and in Portsmouth listed.

The Oxfordshire eatery’s sale is subject to the transfer of all staff to the new owners on completion and includes two staff flats.

Brewers Fayre in Bicester (Image: Christie Owen & Davies Ltd)

Its listing states: “The property presents an excellent opportunity to acquire a large-format hospitality venue in one of Oxfordshire’s strongest retail and tourism locations.

“The close proximity to Bicester Village provides exposure to significant visitor numbers, while the adjacent Premier Inn delivers an additional source of customer demand throughout the week.”

In addition The Applecart Beefeater at the Oxford South Milton Interchange has been listed for a £600,000 sale this week.

This is also subject to a transfer of employment agreement and includes a flat and bedsit accommodation.

Interior of Bicester Brewers Fayre (Image: Christie Owen & Davies Ltd)

Its listing states: “The Applecart presents an excellent opportunity to acquire a substantial hospitality venue in one of Oxfordshire’s most strategically located commercial positions.

“The combination of strong roadside prominence, excellent transport links, extensive parking and direct access to both business and residential catchments provides multiple income opportunities for an incoming operator.”

Across the country, some Beefeater and Brewers Fayre eateries have already been switched over to Whitbread’s own in-house Thyme brand.

Interior of The Applecart Beefeater at the Oxford South Milton Interchange (Image: Christie Owen & Davies Ltd)

Others are being sold and closed with the cuts set to impact about 12 per cent of Whitbread’s 30,000-strong workforce in the UK and Ireland working in its Beefeater and Brewers Fayre restaurants

A statement was issued on the restructuring earlier this year in which it was announced a number of the restaurants would be converted into additional Premier Inn rooms.

A spokesperson said: “We recognise the impact of this proposal on colleagues who work at the affected sites.

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“As a business which recruits around 15,000 people every year, we expect to be able to retain a significant proportion of those affected and will be looking to redeploy as many of our impacted colleagues as possible.

“However, we do anticipate that the proposed changes, which are subject to consultation, would result in a reduction of around 3,800 roles of a total UK and Ireland workforce of around 30,000.

“We will do all we can to support those colleagues affected.”

IPC and Luware have partnered to offer Luware Recording to financial institutions, expanding access to cloud-based compliance recording for regulated organisations.

The agreement brings Luware Recording into IPC’s communications environment for trading, enterprise voice and collaboration tools. The service is intended to help firms capture and retain communications across voice and digital channels as more activity moves into hybrid and cloud-based systems.

Financial institutions face growing pressure to keep records across an expanding mix of communications platforms. Rules including MiFID II, Dodd-Frank and FCA requirements have raised expectations around the capture, storage and supervisory review of conversations and messages linked to regulated activity.

Luware Recording is designed to record communications across several enterprise platforms and deployment models. It can be used in multi-tenant and private-tenant set-ups, with storage managed either by customers or hosted by Luware.

The platform also includes artificial intelligence tools for automatic conduct risk detection and persona-based summaries. Those functions sit alongside retention and supervisory features aimed at compliance teams.

IPC said the partnership aligns with its broader focus on compliance and communications infrastructure for the financial sector. By adding Luware’s service, it aims to expand the recording options available to clients operating across trading floors and wider enterprise environments.

Luware, headquartered in Zurich, says it serves more than 1,500 organisations. Its recording platform is used to capture and archive voice, video, screen sharing and instant messaging across communications systems used by regulated businesses.

Oversight demands

Maintaining oversight has become harder as firms spread communications across fixed-line voice, mobile, collaboration software and cloud services. For banks, brokers and other regulated groups, that creates a challenge not only in preserving records but also in making them available for internal review and regulatory scrutiny.

Luware Recording will sit within IPC’s global connectivity infrastructure. The integration is intended to let clients apply a single recording layer across interconnected trading and enterprise communications, without relying on separate tools for different channels.

“At IPC, our strategy is built around Compliance, Connectivity, and Community,” said Vimal Vel, Chief Product Officer, IPC.

“This partnership strengthens our ability to deliver scalable, regulation-ready recording across modern communications environments. As firms adopt new technologies, they must maintain consistent oversight, and we are enabling that with confidence and resilience,” Vel said.

Luware described the arrangement as a way to extend its reach in heavily regulated sectors, where communications records are a core part of governance and market supervision. The partnership combines its cloud-based recording and analytics with IPC’s network in financial markets.

“Luware Recording is designed for highly regulated industries. By combining IPC’s global connectivity with our cloud-based capture and analytics, clients gain a single compliance layer across all trader voice and collaboration platforms,” said Alex Grafetsberger, Chief Business Officer, Luware Recording.

IPC has operated in financial market communications for more than 50 years and provides services spanning trading communications, electronic trading, data and analytics, and infrastructure services. The Luware partnership is available to its clients worldwide.