The M2M specialist Telit Wireless Solutions and the Spanish network operator Telefónica España have announced today a groundbreaking strategic alliance to provide customers with a turnkey M2M solution based on Telit’s innovative modules and Telefónica’s ‘Mundo Máquina’ and Smart M2M Platform.
As part of the alliance, Telefónica will embed Telit’s modules into its M2M projects, which results in enhanced performance for Telefónica customers looking to deploy their M2M project on time and within budget. In addition, Telefónica decided to use Telit’s new UMTS/HSDPA module, which has its world premiere at 3GSM. Both companies are currently working on the integration of Telit’s products into the Telefonica’s M2M Smart Platform, a dedicated server for the users of M2M technology.
"Telefónica is Spain’s leading network carrier and one of the world’s largest telecom companies with a strong focus on the M2M market", explains Dominkus Hierl, President Telit Wireless Solutions. "Telefónica’s constant commitment to generating new services and supporting systems integrators in developing innovative applications is of high importance for us. This perfectly matches Telit’s strategy of offering its customers the latest M2M technology worldwide", adds Hierl.
In the first instance, users profit from the close cooperation of the two M2M specialists. They will obtain ideal solutions – including Telit’s M2M modules with corresponding support as well as data transmission and service lines by Telefónica. Customers thus benefit from Telit’s three core values: business scalability, ease of integration and investment protection. "This is an important advantage for us. Through this close cooperation with Telit we can respond flexibly to our customers’ requests," describes Raquel Perez Serrano, Product Manager M2M at Telefónica.
Synergies for the M2M market
Both companies will benefit considerably from this strategic alliance. Telefónica will make its laboratories available to Telit for testing the new UMTS modules. At the same time the cooperation provides Telefónica with constant access to Telit’s innovative M2M technology. The Spanish telecom expert will be able to gain access to the new UMTS/HSDPA module at an early stage, which allows fast development of cutting edge M2M applications addressing the needs of the customer. "Considering the development of our position on the Spanish and international M2M market, this is an important step," states Dominikus Hierl.
Commitment to the M2M market
"We cooperate closely with Telit, which is essential for offering our customers services at the best possible rate. Due to the fact that we do not produce M2M modules on our own, we have to rely on a solid partner. Telit is very dedicated to the M2M markets worldwide and knows the needs of the users very well", adds Raquel Perez Serrano.
UMTS: technology for the future
Most notably it is the new Telit UMTS module which is of high strategic importance for Telefónica for opening up new segments of the M2M market. According to the Spanish telecommunications expert, the most auspicious prospects for UMTS technology are to be seen in the fields of video surveillance and security. In the future, Telefónica is also planning to use UMTS modules for vending applications to manage TFT publicity remotely. Telefónica estimates that UMTS is a technology with promising prospects. UMTS applications will also be deployed in the fields of ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines) and mobile marketing. Telefónica also forecasts that, in the long run, all applications currently based on GPRS technology will be equipped with UMTS.
Telit at 3GSM 2007, Hall 1, Stand 1E44
About Telefónica
Telefónica is one of the world’s leading telecom companies, and is present in Europe, Africa and Latin America. As of June 2006, Telefónica had a total of 195.9 million customers. Telefónica is an integrated carrier with one the largest market shares outside of its original market and is the leading carrier in the Spanish-Portuguese-speaking market. Thanks to this, it is on its way to becoming the leader among multi-service and multi-domestic providers. In Spain, the Group has more than 80 years’ experience, and as of September 2006 had almost 16 million land-line accesses, plus more than 4.6 million data and Internet accesses, together with more than 21 million mobile telephony customers. In Europe, Telefónica O2 is present in the U.K., Ireland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. As of September 2006, the Group had more than 34 million mobile accesses and close to 4 million land-line accesses in the region. Telefónica O2 has also been awarded one of the 3G mobile telephony licences in Slovakia for a period of 20 years. The Group is fifth in the world in the Telecom sector in terms of market capitalisation and sixth in the Eurostoxx 50 rankings (20 November, 2006) with a market capitalisation of almost US$ 100 billion. The Group has more than 1.5 million direct shareholders and is listed on the main Spanish and foreign stock markets.