Month: July 2019

Wireless Logic Group, a European IoT connectivity platform provider, has acquired Matooma, the Montpellier, France-based IoT connectivity specialist which is said to have grown rapidly since its inception in 2012. Today, Matooma is recognised for its expertise and innovation within the cellular IoT (Internet of Things) connectivity space, with a broad base of customers using their secure network solutions across multiple applications.

The Matooma acquisition, for an undisclosed sum, is Wireless Logic’s third major purchase in 2019 having already welcomed Dutch-based M2MBlue and SIMPoint in February and June respectively. The three new organisations join the UK-headquartered IoT connectivity platform provider as it continues to deliver rapid expansion throughout its European network.

With Matooma on board, the group has an increased presence in France working alongside Wireless Logic’s existing Aix-en-Provence team, and will enhance its European reach which includes offices in Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands and Spain. The group’s European focus with global reach is backed by Montagu Private Equity who came on board in June 2018.

Oliver Tucker

Commenting on the most recent acquisition, Oliver Tucker, Group CEO of Wireless Logic Group says, “We are delighted to be welcoming the Matooma team into the group. In just seven years, they have built an enviable reputation in France by delivering highly responsive and tailored IoT connectivity services, supported by exceptionally strong leadership.”

“Over the coming months our integration programme will enable the group to enhance our best-in-class connectivity platform solutions to which Matooma will play a significant role, particularly within their core markets,” Tucker adds.

Speaking on behalf of Matooma, founder and CEO Frédéric Salles comments, “The success of Matooma has been based around the innovative use of secure mobile technology, a winning approach to nurturing long-lasting mobile network partnerships and in the strength and character of the Matooma team – our people have been so fundamental to where we are now today.”

“Our journey so far has been short, fast-moving and with every opportunity seized. We are looking forward to combining our strengths with Wireless Logic and together building an even more exciting future as we develop and evolve the IoT connectivity market across France and further afield.”

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Here is our latest and unrivalled list of all the major IoT (Internet of Things) contracts publicised worldwide in the last two months.

It’s free to be included in The Contract Hot List, which shows the companies announcing major contract wins, acquisitions or deployments. Email your contract details to us now, marked “Hot List” at j.cowan@wkm-global.com 

Vendor/Partners
Client, Country
Product/Service (Duration & Value)  
Awarded

Altair
ERM Advanced Telematics, Israel
Partnership agreed under which Altair optimised cellular IoT chipsets will be used to provide installation-free solutions for IoT, asset management and stolen vehicle recovery
5.19

ALPS Europe & Sigfox
DHL, global
Long-term partnership agreed to deploy tracking system for 250,000 DHL roll cages
6.19

Arqiva

 
UK Power Networks, UK
Deal to provide new broadband global area network (BGAN) M2M solution for electricity distributor’s SCADA network
5.19

Ayla Networks
Hamilton Beach, USA
Ayla IoT Platform chosen by make of FlexBrew coffee machines to develop system for automatic re-ordering of coffee and brewing supplies
5.19

Bearing Point/Beyond
Tata Communications, global
Bearing Point selected to provide its Infonova Digital Business Platform to allow customers to manage and monitor how they use Tata MOVE IoT and enterprise mobility service
5.19

Comcast
Universal Parks, USA
Comcast MachineQ enterprise IoT service chosen to provide LPWAN technology for IoT projects at its Orlando, Florida park
6.19

Globastar
PrismaQuality, Finland
Deal to provide satellite connectivity to provider of ReindeerApp and collar for tracking herds of reindeer in northern Finland and Sweden
5.19

Kerlink
Sensoterra, The Netherlands
Kerlink Low Power IoT Reference Design platform chosen for production of new class of soil moisture sensors
6.19

Navigil
City of Helsinki, Finland
Deal to provide Navigil smart wristwatches to approximately 200 customers suffering from memory loss diseases
6.19

SAS
Lockheed Martin, USA
Selection of SAS analytics to analyse streaming data from sensors on Hercules C-130 aircraft and enable predictive maintenance
5.19

SAS
Ulbrich Stainless Steel, USA
SAS analytics chosen by maker of engineered stainless steel products to ensure consistent high quality
5.19

Semtech
Birdz, France
Continuation of usage of Semtech LoRa devices and radio frequency technology for future smart meter deployments
6.19

Semtech
Istanbul Airport, Turkey
Semtech LoRa-based sensors deployed to track location, usage and condition of thousands of devices
6.19

Sierra Wireless
Stone Technologies, USA
Selection of Sierra Wireless Uplink remote monitoring system to help expand business beyond traditional alarm monitoring
5.19

Telefónica
Schindler, global
Deal agreed to provide IoT connectivity for smart elevators and escalators worldwide
5.19

Traxens
CFL Multimodal, Europe and China
Selection of Traxens cargo tracking IoT system for rail freight wagons throughout European corridor and New Silk Road to China
5.19

Vodafone Business
Perch, UK
Digital displays and retail marketing specialist selects Vodafone Business to provide engaging digital experiences in stores via IoT services
6.19

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CertNexus, the global purveyor of vendor neutral, emerging technology certifications and micro-credentials and the Internet of Things Community announced a partnership to facilitate and accelerate closing the rapidly expanding Internet of Things (IoT) skills gap.

According to a report by Inmarstat, 76% of companies surveyed require additional senior, strategic-level staff with skills in IoT, and 80% do not possess the IoT skills required to ensure their current IoT solutions will work as intended. According to Bain and Company, the IoT industry is on its way to becoming a $450 billion (€404 billion) industry, and organisations will require investments in training and validating skills in order to succeed in this rapidly growing environment.

The two organisations have signed an agreement that provides the industry workshops and other turnkey training solutions to the world’s only ANSI/ISO 17204 accredited IoT Certification: the Certified Internet of Things Practitioner (CIoTP). The IoT Community will have members access to CertNexus’ certifications and micro-credential through virtual classes, access to digital books and virtual labs, and sit for CertNexus exams. Additionally, CPE credits will be assigned to IoT SLAM and Master Class events to continue the certification maintenance.

Nancy Shemwell

“The development of IoT technology is only as good as the business value derived. To ensure true value, the solutions must be deployed and secured—a tremendous challenge facing the industry,” says Nancy Shemwell, chief operating officer, IoT Community. “Offering CIoTP, the only ANSI/ISO 17204 accredited IoT Certification is a key development in the Community’s value chain. Partnering with CertNexus and their best-in-class training and certification offerings is a natural extension. Corporations now have access to develop and validate the necessary skills to successfully implement and secure IoT solutions.”

“We are dedicated to bringing innovative training and certification solutions to the global marketplace,” said Jeff Felice, president, CertNexus. “Partnering with The IoT Community to offer CertNexus training and certifications helps us to accelerate the value we can bring to IoT professionals and the businesses they represent. Together, we believe we can provide tremendous value to the Community and the industry as we embrace the emerging opportunities contained within the Internet of Things.”

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Enterprises in the Nordic countries are investing in digital transformation and looking for vendors to help them with their move to the cloud and adoption of artificial intelligence for operations, according to a new report published today by Information Services Group, a global technology research and advisory firm.

The 2019 ISG Provider Lens Private/Hybrid Cloud — Data Centre Services & Solutions Report for the Nordics finds many Nordic enterprises turning to IT outsourcing as a way to cut costs, expand their businesses globally and gain access to technology experts with niche skills.

“As Nordic enterprises transform their businesses to raise their profiles in the global market, digital transformation and cloud and data centre outsourcing have become their key priorities,” said Barry Matthews, partner and head of ISG Northern Europe, which includes the Nordics.

In some cases, however, Nordic businesses are struggling to see quick returns on investment when they move to a cloud computing model, the report says. While cloud computing can eliminate or minimise hardware infrastructure, some enterprises need outside expertise to help them plan and capitalise their cloud investments.

Many Nordic enterprises are turning to providers to help them roll out artificial intelligence for IT operations (AIOps) to automate commoditised IT infrastructure and software maintenance and to reduce labour-intensive intervention for mundane tasks. In addition, container technology is growing in popularity with Nordic enterprises, especially for mission-critical applications in financial, educational, and media and communications organisations.

Another trend in the cloud and data centre market is a move toward hyper-converged infrastructure, with Nordic enterprises embracing the convergence of software-defined hardware and software – for computation, networking and storage – in an easy-to-use system that enables digital transformation.

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Dover Fueling Solutions (“DFS”), a part of Dover that delivers advanced fuel dispensing equipment, electronic systems and payment, fleet systems, automatic tank gauging and wetstock management, is pleased to announce a planned strategic partnership with Microsoft to bring new cloud and IoT solutions to market.

Microsoft Azure is an ever-expanding set of cloud services that let organisations build, test, deploy, secure and manage applications, services and solutions. Through this alliance, Microsoft will help enable DFS’ vision to deliver next generation retail site architecture and solutions that will digitally transform the fueling experience for end customers, while delivering retail site operating efficiencies, enhanced consumer experiences and new revenue streams.

Microsoft and DFS will collaborate to develop, deploy, promote and support DFS Azure based solutions including the Wayne iSense Remote Monitoring and management solution. The iSense remote solution provides real-time updates of fuel dispenser and other support equipment at a retail fueling forecourt.

David Crouse

With iSense remote monitoring, a station owner can stay on top of pricing, maintenance issues, flow rates, and much more from virtually anywhere. As an Azure IoT cloud-based solution, it will also integrate with other systems so customers can boost security and scale as needed.

David Crouse, DFS president added, “We are pleased to partner with Microsoft to utilise Azure to power IoT solutions. This planned alliance will advance DFS proficiency to drive technology, innovation and speed for our retail customers throughout the world.”

“Microsoft is pleased to partner with DFS, a strategic provider of technology for convenience retailing, to deliver new Azure based IoT solutions for fuel dispensers,” said Michael Kuptz, general manager, America’s IoT Experience, Microsoft. “New Azure based Cloud to edge IoT solutions from DFS will help fuel retailers and convenience store operators save time and money, while providing consistent and secure experiences for customers.”

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Vodafone announced that it is working with South East Water on a pilot that could revolutionise how the water industry detects and prevents leaks. The pilot is timely: water shortages are said to threaten England within 25 years and Ofwat is requiring that all water companies reduce water leakage by 15% by 2025. The trial, now underway in Kent, will run for a year and is the first in the UK to include Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) as part of a smart water network.

Vodafone and South East Water worked with partners to develop and connect specialist digital water metres, sensors and acoustic loggers on underground mains water pipes via Vodafone’s NB-IoT network. Data will be collected and transmitted across the system; and advanced analytics will be used to monitor readings and alert South East Water immediately in the event of a leak. Acoustic loggers ‘listen’ for escaping water within the network to determine when leaks have occurred and to pinpoint the precise location.

NB-IoT operates within a very narrow radio band frequency. This means it can provide wider coverage and deeper penetration than traditional networks – even underground or within buildings. It also operates at low power so that batteries within IoT devices in the field, such as sensors, can last up to ten years. This combination ensures that NB-IoT solutions are more sustainable and less expensive to install and run than current alternatives utilising 4G or fixed line networks.

Anne Sheehan, director, Vodafone Business, said: “This is a really exciting project. NB-IoT technology has the power to transform the utilities sector. It provides a more accurate way of identifying and preventing leaks, helping companies like South East Water meet important regulatory and environmental standards. It is a perfect example of how technology can be used to create a more sustainable future and manage what is an increasingly precious commodity.”

Dr Simon Earl, South East Water’s operations director, said: “This trial is likely to revolutionise how we detect and prevent water leaks. The solution has the potential to alert us to the smallest leak – in either our or our customers’ pipes – as soon as it occurs; and could even enable us to predict and prevent pipeline failure before it happens. This has the potential to reduce the water we take from the environment, further minimise interruptions to supply and increase the resilience of the service we provide to our customers.”

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Software AG announced that Gartner, Inc., in its new Critical Capabilities for Industrial IoT Platforms report, has given Software AG the highest score in every use case in the report – Monitoring Use Case, Predictive Analytics for Equipment Use Case, and Connected Industrial Assets Use Case for its IoT Platform Cumulocity IoT.

“The research is intended to help organisations shortlist vendors that match their IIoT platform requirements,” says Gartner. ”It evaluates vendor effectiveness in supporting enterprise needs in three use cases: monitoring, predictive analytics for equipment and connected industrial assets.”

“We’re thrilled to be recognised for our work in supporting our customers to find the right solution for their IIoT requirements,” said Dr. Stefan Sigg, chief product officer of Software AG. “With this recognition, along with acknowledgement as a Visionary in the latest Gartner Magic Quadrant for Industrial IoT Platforms. We believe that Software AG is positioned to lead this market, and it underlines our commitment to enabling customers to quickly and easily bring IIoT visions to life.”

Cumulocity IoT is Software AG’s cloud-first and fully extensible IoT platform that lets customers start quickly and scale rapidly. Being device and protocol agnostic allows to connect, manage and control any “thing” over any network. Cumulocity IoT is an industry-leading IoT solution, which is open and independent, letting customers connect to millions of devices without being locked into one single vendor.

A complimentary copy of the report can be downloaded here.

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