m2M

Machine-to-machine (M2M) communication refers to direct communication between devices using any communications channel, without human intervention. It is a subset of the broader Internet of Things (IoT) and focuses on device-to-device data exchange, control, and monitoring, often over wireless links or wired networks.

M2M deployments use a mix of technologies, including cellular networks (2G/3G/4G/5G with support for MTC), low-power wide-area networks such as NB-IoT and LoRaWAN, and short-range industrial protocols. Common application-layer protocols include MQTT, CoAP, HTTP, and various industrial standards such as OPC UA.

Architectures can be point-to-point, where devices communicate directly, or hub-and-spoke, typically via gateways or M2M platforms that aggregate data and provide device management, security, and analytics. Edge computing is increasingly used to reduce latency and bandwidth needs.

Applications span industrial automation, energy metering, fleet management, smart cities, healthcare, agriculture, and consumer electronics. M2M is often a building block of IoT systems, enabling remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, and autonomous control.

Standards and governance: oneM2M is a prominent standardization effort to ensure interoperability across different networks and devices; cellular standards from 3GPP are commonly used for mobile M2M communication. Security concerns include device authentication, data encryption, and secure software updates.

Outlook: trends include network slicing, AI at the edge, enhanced device management, and tighter privacy controls. The line between M2M and IoT continues to blur as platforms broaden data collection and analytics capabilities.