Orange Business Services Builds Global M2M Communications Infrastructure for Openmatics

strategic partnership offers operators of truck and bus fleets access to global M2M connectivity services from single provider

PARIS & ESCHBORN, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Openmatics, the manufacturer-independent open telematics platform, has signed a strategic partnership with Orange Business Services to offer telematics services for trucks and busses via a machine-to-machine (M2M) communication network on an international level.

“Orange is our partner of choice because the company has an international footprint and a strong M2M ambition. Orange offers us a single, dedicated entity for managing our global M2M connectivity requirements, and our partnership has the potential to support us with managed services for our platform in the future.”

Openmatics is establishing a new telematics standard in the market that allows combining a variety of applications onto one platform and therefore provides the highest flexibility. Openmatics chose Orange because of its global presence and strong focus in the M2M area. Through its international M2M Center located in Brussels, Orange Business Services will provide Openmatics scalable M2M communications infrastructure to guarantee reliable and seamless data transfer. Orange Business Services will implement for Openmatics a managed connectivity service enabling seamless ordering, activation, tracking for SIMs through an innovative portal.

“The M2M communications infrastructure provided by Orange is key to our go-to-market strategy as our customers are requiring global support,” said Thomas Rösch, managing director of Openmatics. “Orange is our partner of choice because the company has an international footprint and a strong M2M ambition. Orange offers us a single, dedicated entity for managing our global M2M connectivity requirements, and our partnership has the potential to support us with managed services for our platform in the future.”

The Openmatics on-board unit embedded with Orange M2M connectivity services will act as an innovative vehicle gateway. Data recorded and received by the on-board unit is transmitted over the Orange network from and to a Web-supported portal. With this service, the location and status of trucks and busses can be monitored anywhere, apps, configurations and media files can be sent to the vehicles anytime. In addition, vehicle manufacturers and third parties can develop their own apps and offer them for download through the Web shop of Openmatics. This enables fleet operators to plan and manage their businesses more efficiently.

“We are proud to support the innovative Openmatics platform with our international M2M connectivity services which will support Openmatics’ global growth strategy,” said Dr. Helmut Reisinger, senior vice president, Orange Business Services Europe. “Orange Business Services is unsurpassed in providing comprehensive M2M solutions with quality of service and a large global footprint. These are indispensible preconditions for the export-oriented German industry to operate successfully in international markets.”

About Openmatics

With Openmatics, ZF has established a new telematics standard in the market, which allows combining a range of varied applications on one platform. Openmatics can exchange data with all the relevant vehicle systems, which makes it suitable for fleet management as well as for passenger information, vehicle diagnosis, order fulfillment, etc. The openness of the platform is innovative as well. It is independent of vehicle manufacture, thus suitable for third-party suppliers such as vehicle and component manufacturers or other application developers can offer their telematics services in the form of apps to Openmatics. A few pre-requisites: the apps must be of the highest quality. Every app is checked and certified before its release.

For more information on Openmatics visit: www.openmatics.com

About Orange Business Services

Orange Business Services, the France Telecom-Orange branch dedicated to B2B services, is a leading global integrator of communications solutions for multinational corporations. With the world's largest, seamless network for voice and data, Orange Business Services reaches 220 countries and territories with local support in 166. Offering a comprehensive package of communication services covering cloud computing, enterprise mobility, M2M, security, unified communications, videoconferencing, and broadband, Orange Business Services delivers a best-in-class customer experience across a global landscape. Thousands of enterprise customers and 1.4 million mobile data users rely on an Orange Business Services international platform for communicating and conducting business. Orange Business Services is a four-time winner of Best Global Operator at the World Communication Awards. Learn more at www.orange-business.com

France Telecom-Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with sales of 45.3 billion euros for 2011 and has 170,000 employees worldwide at June 30, 2012. Orange is the Group's single brand for Internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the company operates. France Telecom (NYSE:FTE) is listed on Euronext Paris (compartment A) and on the New York Stock Exchange.

Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trade marks of Orange Brand Services Limited, Orange France or France Telecom.