Research is key to a successful initial IoT application. Developers will need to understand if off-the-shelf hardware, like modems, will be sufficient for the proof of concept and prototype stages and perhaps be sufficient for the initial go to market device. By choosing off the shelf components, developers can quickly get validation and feedback on the application. Based on that feedback, may find that only custom products will do. As with any custom application, developers can experience a longer time to market with a custom hardware. Another consideration key to an IoT application is a sensor. Developers need to consider whether the IoT application will need calibration, or a human touch and factor this into the cost and lifecycle of the device. For an IoT application that has millions of units or that have a wide geographic distribution, the cost to calibrate or have a human touch the device for update or repair can be prohibitive. One example of this is a home smoke detector. The sensors in these smoke detectors have a limited lifespan of around 7 years. After that timeframe, the sensor no longer is as effective and needs to be replaced. In this case, the human touch is required to update the unit. In this case, it is the owner of the unit who must do the update and in this use case the update is to replace the entire unit. Contrast this to an environmental monitoring unit for a global transportation fleet. If there are sensors that need frequent calibration, the cost of the human touch could be prohibitive to an effective solution. Other factors that developers need to consider are the environmental demands on the sensor. Will the sensor need to be protected from fluid? Will the sensor be subjected to significant vibration? Is the device going to be installed in a home where the operating range for temperature and humidity is very narrow versus a device being installed in a hostile environment where the operating range is much broader. Time invested in research for the device will help minimize issues as the IoT application is being deployed.