Orange Business Services launches international 'Machine-to-Machine' centre

Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 10 June 2009 05:34

IT Industry - Strategy

Major players in the global telecommunications network services market are competing fiercely to move up the value chain with announcements of new initiatives appearing in rapid succession. Now Orange Business Services is staking its claim for leadership in a new, emerging market: the provision and support for machine-to-machine communications across national boundaries for multinational corporations.

Orange Business Services has opened an International M2M Centre (IMC) based in Brussels within its Mobistar cellular network operator and devoted to machine-to-machine (M2M) connectivity solutions for international companies. It says the move signals its intention "to be amongst the world leaders in the M2M field."

According to the company, "The IMC is aimed at both original equipment manufacturers (OEM) that include M2M technology with their products and services, and at national and multinational companies."

Orange Business says the IMC "will develop and supply SIM cards and connectivity offers specific to M2M applications by adapting itself to the business, operation and issues of each company, regardless of where it is located."

According to Tim Cavill, managing director of Orange Business Services ANZ, "M2M solutions are at the centre of our global innovation strategy. Our International M2M Centre provides the facilities needed to develop new communications applications that can integrate many devices into our customers' networks."

He added: "The M2M market is now really starting to take off and we are now talking to our Australian multinational customers about how we can develop customised solutions."

Orange Business Services says it is also working on defining a new generation of M2M SIM cards in connection with its programme "determined to standardise M2M technology."

Orange Business Services claims to already have more than one million active M2M SIM cards in Europe, mobile networks in 29 countries and a seamless fixed network in 220 countries and territories.