Bell Canada Enterprises Inc. has joined the Global M2M Association, making it the first Canadian wireless carrier to join the association that supports machine to machine (M2M) deployments worldwide.
M2M deployments allow machines to talk to each other, with network-connected devices being able to communicate without needing human interaction. Examples of M2M include vehicle tracking devices, vending machines, billboards, hydro systems, and parking meters.
Right now, Bell already offers M2M services to clients in sectors like the automotive, transportation, security, healthcare, utilities, and government industries. Its services help with asset tracking, fleet management, wireless backup connectivity, wireless point of sale, remote monitoring, telematics, and providing digital signs.
However, joining the Global M2M Association will give Bell access to the M2M ecosystem in Europe, moving beyond just Canada. That means access to 28 European countries, including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and the U.K. It also gives Canadian business customers a boost, since they now have access to a wireless carrier that works with Europe.
“By partnering with the GMA, Bell is able to offer customers with international operations a superior level of M2M service and support across Europe – an important advantage for Bell as trade with this region expands in the years ahead,” said Nauby Jacob, Bell’s vice-president of services, product, and content in a statement.
Membership in the Global M2M association allows the five carriers to coordinate customer support, and it also allows them to optimize devices, network interoperability through shared testing and certification procedures. By cooperating, carriers may also help with simplifying international M2M communications.
Bell is the fifth carrier to join the association, with the other carriers being Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom-Orange, Telecom Italia, and TeliaSonera. The association is based on a service cooperation agreement between these four carriers.