US cloud and networking provider Verizon Business has teamed up with Microsoft to simplify its entire enterprise IoT ecosystem. Verizon’s ThingSpace IoT platform and 5G/LTE network connectivity have been integrated with Microsoft Azure IoT Central. The company says it will accelerate time-to-market and reduce costs for enterprise IoT solutions. Cognizant has become the first company to adopt the combined solution platform to develop its own IoT-enabled application on cold chain to support pharmaceutical and food and beverage industries, which have been impacted by the pandemic.

Verizon’s 5G/LTE Network, ThingSpace IoT platform, including secure connectivity to Verizon’s industry-leading 5G/LTE network and full management and diagnostics capabilities, and Critical Asset Sensor (CAS) devices have been integrated with Microsoft Azure. According to Verizon Business, the integration will enable IoT developers to create new IoT applications quickly and efficiently.

Microsoft Azure IoT Central provides application-level, cloud-based analytics, as well as pre-built templates for a variety of industry use cases. Integrating Verizon’s ThingSpace platform and Azure infrastructure is designed to allow IoT system builders, integrators and service providers to more quickly develop, deploy and operationalise complete IoT solutions.

“This is about simplifying IoT solution development,” said Aamir Hussain, Verizon Business’ senior vice president of Business Products. “By integrating the Verizon and Microsoft platforms, we are enabling IoT builders to more easily get their solutions to market, and ultimately, into the hands of users. It’s about moving the IoT industry forward and making it easier for businesses and consumers to benefit from IoT innovation”.

“Microsoft has been on a mission to simplify IoT by introducing Azure IoT Central, IoT Plug and Play and other Azure solutions,” said Tony Shakib, GM of IoT Business Acceleration at Microsoft. “The integration with Verizon makes it easier and to build cellular IoT solutions by leveraging Verizon’s network and ThingSpace platform.”

One of the first large enterprise ‘builders’, Cognizant, is an early adopter of the integrated platform, using it to develop an IoT application for the efficient management and use of cold storage, which supports vital business operations for perishables, including storage and shipping of food and pharmaceuticals.

For example, the application monitors prescription drugs while in storage to ensure they are in optimal condition, safeguarding the quality of the pharmaceuticals that are distributed to customers and reducing the amount of perished inventory. Cognizant’s solution gives pharmaceutical retailers greater visibility of inventory throughout the transit pipeline.

“The global pandemic has disrupted nearly every supply chain. Connected IoT solutions are more essential than ever to protect all of us,” said Frank Antonysamy, Global Head of Cognizant’s IoT business. “Every temperature-sensitive product can now be monitored to ensure product integrity from shipping through to the consumer. Working with Verizon and Microsoft on the ThingSpace platform enables us to deploy new technologies to help ensure that the food we eat and medicines we take are safe.”