Vodafone Business has announced
a partnership with Lenovo Connect to offer a customised global Internet of
Things (IoT) connectivity service that will integrate with Lenovo Connect
solutions.
According to a
statement issued on Tuesday, the partnership will allow customers with Lenovo smart devices
to securely connect to the internet across Vodafone’s global IoT network across
multiple countries, starting in Europe.
Lenovo Connect
needed a solution that provides its consumers with access to secure
connectivity and ensures the company can manage, monitor and securely
distribute its content. The service, which initially launches in Spain, will
connect over 40,000 devices. It will be available for Spanish customers
initially in May 2023, with expansion across Europe thereafter.
As part of
Lenovo Connect’s digital transformation journey, the multi-year contract
between the two companies will mean customers have secure connectivity
on-the-go, accessing the Lenovo Connect App and more on their smart devices.
This provides consumers with on-the-go connectivity via a safer and more secure
network. To comply with country-specific regulations, the two companies have
focused on a local communications service model, overseen by a global IoT
management and platform. Vodafone Business will be providing an IoT Global Data
Service Platform (GDSP) SIM fitted in each Lenovo device, providing platform
integration with the Lenovo Connect App.
To achieve
this goal successfully, Vodafone Spain customized our global Managed IoT
Connectivity platform to manage IoT connectivity in the country. This ensures
service compliance with Spanish regulation whilst meeting customer requirements
and Lenovo Connect’s ambition of enabling devices to be 'always connected,
connected everywhere'.
The
partnership with Lenovo Connect reinforces Vodafone Business’ leadership in IoT
connectivity, with more than 159 million IoT SIMs and growing. The European
IoT industry is projected to reach $12.3 billion by 2031,
having grown 19% from 2022 to 2031, and the partnership will enable customers
to maximise the potential of this technology.
Through this
collaboration, Lenovo Connect and Vodafone will work together to provide
intelligent solutions to help businesses improve their efficiency,
productivity, and competitiveness in the global market. The partnership aims to
create more value for enterprises and promote the development of the
intelligent IoT industry.
Established
in October 2015, Lenovo Connect is a subsidiary of Lenovo LCIG. The company
brings together global connectivity and service resources to create solutions
that integrates IoT, cloud, big data, AI, and global service to empower the
Internet of Things. Lenovo Connect focuses on two major vertical areas of smart
interactive devices and smart connected vehicles, and is actively exploring 5G
application scenarios, providing end-to-end IoT solutions for customers, and
helping customers achieve digital transformation.
Commenting
on the partnership, Vinod Kumar, CEO
at Vodafone Business said: “Our
purpose is to help organisations digitally transform their business with a
unique level of service and expertise. In collaboration with Lenovo Connect, we
will deliver a resilient and customised pan-European service for customers
built on fast connectivity and greater privacy and security.”
According to
Wang Shuai, VP of Lenovo Group and CEO of Lenovo Connect, "Intelligent
connectivity is an essential path of the digital and intelligent transformation
of modern enterprises. With the rapid iteration of technology, the development
of future intelligent IoT will undoubtedly have enormous potential. Lenovo
Connect and Vodafone will leverage technology, complementary resources, and
platform integration to build higher-quality international intelligent
connectivity services to help enterprises embark on their digital and
intelligent transformation journey."
