The essence, technological basics, application areas, prospects and problems of the Internet of Things are studied in this article.  The history and the need for the emergence of the conception of the Internet of Things, as well as the implementations carried out by the international organizations and by the leading states in connection with the realization of this conception are investigated. Properties of RFID-technology, which forms techno-logical basis of the Internet of Things, are analyzed. Socio-economic advantages of the application of the Internet of Things in various fields are shown. The article describes the problems to be solved for successful implementation of this conception, as well as the standardization, addressing and security issues.  (pp. 29-40)