Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom-Orange have expanded their already-close partnership with a range of new technical tie-ups across Europe, including efforts to improve wireless access across Europe and promote machine-to-machine standards.
The two companies are already thick as thieves; about a year ago, they combined their operations in the U.K. into a 50-50 joint venture. Now they will be working more closely in Europe on a number of technology and business-development endeavors, they said.
The two companies aim to improve wireless connectivity and Wi-Fi service in Europe by not only sharing their radio access network but also to work together to improve the Wi-Fi user experience while roaming. Equipment standardization and machine-to-machine (M2M) standards are also part of the expanded deal. The latter is especially key as more and more devices become connected to the Internet and are able to provide IP-based services.
Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom-Orange also plan to work together to develop new business through technical cooperation on home media servers; development of cross border e-Health services; connected cars technology and in-car infotainment services; and content and technical enablers for TV and video services, they said.
Work has already begun on M2M cooperation and Wi-Fi-roaming improvement. To facilitate the former, the two have created a cooperation agreement for M2M to increase quality of service and standards for cross-border M2M communications, they said. The pact initially covers France, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg, and is meant to include all mobile network operators that currently work with the companies. Eventually, it will expand globally through partnerships with other operators, they said.
The idea is to provide a seamless M2M communications network that can offer reliable cross-border services anywhere in the world and provide an incubator for other innovation around the technology, according to the companies.
To improve Wi-Fi roaming, Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom-Orange said they are already exploring ways to improve roaming conditions on each other’s Wi-Fi networks to increase quality of services when people cross country borders.
