Orange France signs M2M deal with Telit

Telit Communications has agreed to a deal that will allow it to distribute a complete range of M2M solutions developed by Orange within the French market.

The company, which will add its own M2M modules to Orange data services, claimed that the new partnership would provide both companies with better market penetration and an increased use of their individual M2M solutions.

Telit's global sales VP, Felix Marchal, said that agreeing to a distribution deal with Orange business services, the largest B2B telecommunications operator in France, was a strategic move forward for the company in terms of expanding its M2M services portfolio. "This partnership is the ideal starting point for joint distribution activities," he said.

Commenting on the agreement, Orange business services director, Luc Bretones, said that Telit expertise and M2M modules were the perfect addition to Orange's portfolio. "As a telecommunications operator this partnership gives us a unique opportunity to acquire new customer segments, and further increase the use of our M2M network," he said.

Separately, a new study conducted by Berg Insight states that the installed base of smart electricity meters in Europe will grow at a CAGR of nearly 18 per cent between 2009 and 2015 to reach 111.4 million at the end of the period.

"In the past year, EDF, Endesa and Iberdrola, three of the largest electricity network operators in Europe, have launched large-scale pilots in France and Spain, respectively. Next year, these deployments will evolve into nationwide rollouts in these countries," said Tobias Ryberg, analyst with Berg Insight.

"On top of that, the UK's largest electricity and gas retailer, British Gas, has launched the first major smart metering project for residential customers in the country," he added. "These developments in combination with rollouts in several other European countries will drive strong market growth over the next five years."

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