According to a recent announcement, Ericsson (News - Alert) is set to further strengthen the global Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem through a new partnership with Microsoft by working together to enable enterprises to speed up the time it takes to launch mobile network-based IoT services.
Ericsson IoT Accelerator is designed to allow enterprises to deploy IoT solutions using Azure, which connects them directly to the ecosystem of mobile operators using the connectivity management service delivered by the Ericsson Device Connection Platform (DCP) which is part of the Accelerator. The Accelerator, a cloud-based, horizontal cross-industry offering comprising platform services and near-product services for telecom operators and selected industries, will provide a continuous incremental set of functionality offered as a service to enable agile creation and deployment of solutions for IoT.
“The latest Ericsson Mobility Report reveals that the Internet of Things will surpass mobile phones as the largest category of connected devices in 2018,” said Niklas Heuveldop, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Technology and Emerging Business, Ericsson. “Today, enterprises are facing a major challenge of complexity in IoT deployment. By combining industry-leading innovation and ecosystems, our collaboration with Microsoft (News - Alert) removes complexity and brings the possibilities of the IoT closer for enterprises everywhere.”
The connectivity management service will help telecom operators design, launch and evolve managed IoT connectivity offerings for enterprises requiring cellular connectivity. It also provides enterprises with full control and automation capabilities to handle the connectivity for their IoT devices. By cooperating with the continuously growing number of other telecom operators connected to Ericsson DCP, telecom operators can address the needs of global enterprises without making one-off investments alone. The platform gives the enterprise a unified service experience for their entire device fleet.
“Working together with Ericsson helps us delight our customers and partners by enabling more choices to control their cellular connected IoT devices,” said Sam George, Microsoft Director of Azure IoT, Microsoft Corporation.