In a world where products are becoming increasingly smart and connected, internet connectivity often seems to be something for large multinationals with huge budgets and specialised IT teams. But is that image still accurate? Can SMEs also rely on reliable, secure and scalable IoT connectivity, fully tailored to their product? The answer is a resounding yes.
Connectivity as an integral part of your product
More and more products, from industrial machines and sensors to logistics assets and smart infrastructure, require a constant connection to the internet. Not as an extra, but as an essential part of their functionality and the underlying business model. Think of monitoring, predictive maintenance, remote control or reporting to end customers and installers.
Yet many SMEs get stuck as soon as connectivity is mentioned. Traditional off-the-shelf solutions are often complex, too extensive or insufficiently equipped. The variety of connectivity technologies, separate cloud platforms, limited control over embedded software and unclear cost structures create barriers that slow down or even prevent innovation.
DPTechnics: IoT without complexity
DPTechnics, a Belgian IoT specialist, takes a different approach. Their mission is to make internet connectivity as standard as any other component of product design.
Central to this approach are their IoT building blocks. DPTechnics provides a modular ecosystem that enables SMEs to integrate customised connectivity and functionality. Walter is a compact, energy-efficient microcontroller module that combines multiple radio technologies, enabling reliable connections even in challenging environments. The DPT Module is an energy-efficient processor module that can function independently, offering extra processing power and flexibility. All this hardware is optionally controlled and managed via BlueCherry.io, the in-house developed IoT platform that works without dependencies on external platforms and minimises vendor lock-in. In this way, DPTechnics offers a future-proof and scalable solution tailored to the needs of SMEs.
The Walter module, a real problem solver
Walter uses LTE-M and NB-IoT, modern mobile technologies with a SIM card that have been specially developed for IoT applications. They combine low energy consumption with excellent coverage and are fully future-proof within both 4G and 5G networks. This means that products rolled out today will still be supported in ten years’ time.
Where customisation used to be feasible only for very large numbers, DPTechnics proves that today it is also perfectly possible for SMEs and niche markets. By using building blocks such as Walter, all that is needed is to develop a simple motherboard that fits the product perfectly. The complex and costly work has already been carried out during the development of these building blocks, significantly reducing time, risk and costs.
Moreover, DPTechnics supports companies not only technically, but also strategically. From proof-of-concept to international roll-out, they contribute ideas on architecture, security, lifespan and operational costs. In this way, connectivity becomes not a risk, but a competitive advantage.
Connectivity as an accelerator of innovation
This opens up new perspectives for SMEs. Smarter products lead to new services, better customer relationships and recurring revenue models. So the question is no longer whether tailor-made internet connectivity is possible for SMEs, but how quickly you want to get started with it.
DPTechnics and Walter prove that smart, scalable IoT solutions are no longer a privilege, but a viable option for every innovative product.
