....to provide a unified, end-to-end offering for all domestic and international connectivity needs. Sprint (NYSE:S) is partnering with Orange Business Services to provide Sprint with global machine-to-machine (M2M) connectivity outside the U.S., the companies announced today. Through this agreement, Sprint will expand its M2M reach to include Sprint-branded global M2M connectivity to 180 countries.
ABI Research forecasts that there will be more than 106 million M2M connections globally, excluding the U.S., in 2012, growing to over 272 million M2M connections in 2016. Given this expected growth, the agreement enables Sprint to expand the reach of its business customers’ machines and basic operations beyond the United States in segments such as automotive and telematics, smart grid and metering, healthcare, retail point-of-sale and security.
Orange Business Services, the enterprise arm of France Telecom-Orange (NYSE: FTE), is a leading global integrator of communications solutions for multinational corporations. Orange Business Services is delivering its global M2M connectivity service to Sprint through its International M2M Center (IMC) based in Brussels. With 200+ experts dedicated to M2M, Orange Business Services brings together expertise in consulting, design, innovation, integration, project management and service management along with leading-edge knowledge of the M2M ecosystem. Its seamless global network provides IP access in 220 countries and territories and supports more than 2.5 million active M2M connections.