M2M solutions for urban environments

Telefónica announced to be the new partner of JCDecaux, the world’s leader in outdoor communications and self-service bicycle, for the development of a new range of smart Machine-to-machine (M2M) powered solutions for urban environments.

Telefónica’s M2M technologies will bring enriched connectivity and new digital features and experiences to JCDecaux’s municipal information devices, digital screens and self-service bicycle stations in Europe and South America. The new state-of-the art solutions will enable advertisers to enhance campaigns and bring the innovation and insight usually seen online to the outside world. For outdoor digital advertising, Telefonica’s M2M technology enables the transmission and reception of pre-recorded or real time advertising content on digital screens.

Municipal information messages can also be delivered through remote management features. This managed connectivity capability will save out-of-home advertising companies significant maintenance costs due to the continuous data flows reporting the status of the displays.

In shared bicycle schemes, Telefónica’s M2M devices offer remote tracking data for numerous parameters such as geolocation, mileage and usage. This data is collected and processed with business analytics techniques, helping companies and public administrations to efficiently manage urban bike fleets and save significant costs in unit losses and maintenance.

The scale and adoption rate of M2M solutions is increasing rapidly. There are already more than 4 million active M2M cards in France and there will be up to 20 billion objects connected by 2020 according to the GSMA. In 2004 only 92 million devices were connected worldwide. This continuous growth will not only generate substantial economic benefits, but will also play a significant role in improving resources and efficiency.

José Luis Gamo, CEO Multinational Business Unit of Telefónica Global Solutions said: “This agreement with JCDecaux will allow us to provide M2M services internationally to the world’s leader outdoor advertising companies. Our solution will be available on a wide range of platforms, such as street furniture, self-service bike stations or digital screens, which represents a significant step forward in solutions for urban environments managed by our corporate and multinational customers.” Telefónica offers end to end solutions through global connectivity in more than 40 countries across three continents. This connectivity is available in a variety of objects – from vehicles to street furniture.