Cubic Telecom, an Ireland-headquartered global connectivity platform provider, partnered with Audi to provide high-speed LTE data access to the auto-maker's drivers across Europe.
The company said the deal is the largest rollout of its high-speed LTE MVNO platform to date and covers the provision of wireless access to power Audi's connect infotainment service. In addition to the infotainment access, Audi also plans to leverage the platform to offer its drivers regional or Europe-wide data tariffs that will enable them to connect personal devices via its Audi connect Wi-Fi hotspot service.
Marcus Keith, director development Audi connect at Audi, said Cubic Telecom offers "the most comprehensive and competitive independent options available," which will enable the auto-maker to provide its drivers with "secure and robust high-speed connectivity."
Audi plans to roll out the Cubic Telecom access service in selected models during 2016. Keith said the company also plans to extend availability of its Audi connect services to more countries in the future.
Cubic Telecom announced in November that it had established Europe's largest independent LTE platform for machine-to-machine (M2M) and connected car services. The company agreed access deals with operators including EE, eir, Mobistar, Orange, Salt, Tele2 and TIM covering Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria and Denmark.
In-vehicle network access is provided through an automotive-grade embedded SIM that Cubic Telecom said delivers premium-grade connectivity, reliability and speed. The SIM can also be updated over-the-air to enable new connectivity options to be added over the lifetime of the car, the company stated.
Barry Napier, CEO of Cubic Telecom, said the deal with Audi is a testament to the company's ability to "rapidly expand connectivity programs" for users in Europe and beyond.
Audi, Sierra Wireless and Qualcomm are among investors that have provided at least $37 million (€34.4 million) in funding to Cubic Telecom, which was founded in 2005.
For more:
- see Cubic Telecom's announcement
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