Date: 13/02/2012

Ericsson aims to connect 50 Billion devices by 2020 using M2M tech

Leading Swedish communication equipment maker Ericsson and Switzerland's largest operator Swisscom have launched a partnership to develop the M2M market. Swisscom's M2M offering is based on Ericsson's Device Connection Platform, which allows for cost-efficient management of a large number of connected devices and machines. The first trials will start in February 2012. The commercial introduction of services is scheduled for the summer 2012.

Urs Schaeppi, Head of Swisscom Corporate Business Unit, says: "We are entering this partnership - in which Ericsson supports us not only with its M2M connectivity platform, but also with its extensive experience of the worldwide M2M market - with the clear ambition not only to be first in an emerging market, but also to provide our customers with the kind of superior offering they are used to from us. Our ambition is to provide enterprise customers with a scalable, easy-to-configure-and-maintain, telecom-grade solution that helps them to leverage the full potential of their M2M connectivity and gain a competitive advantage."

Anders Runevad, Head of Region Western & Central Europe, Ericsson, says: "We have built out our leading position as an M2M solution provider to operators worldwide and now we are partnering with Swisscom in one of the world's first large-scale M2M market introductions. We have connected billions of people to date with mobile networks. Now we are starting to address the Networked Society with our vision of more than 50 billion connected devices - primarily from M2M connectivity in all kinds of industries - by 2020 worldwide."