The Altice Group and its subsidiary SFR, the second French global telecommunications operator, has teamed with PTC for deployment of its ThingWorx IoT platform to facilitate IoT implementations across SMBs, and to offer a complete, secure, and scalable IoT platform for the rapid development of IoT applications.
The merged platform will spread across two Altice Group businesses: SFR, a cable television and internet-access provider for enterprise customers in metropolitan France;, and Portugal Telecom, an integrated service provider in fixed broadband, mobile operations, and business services for small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs).
The ThingWorx IoT platform enables users to connect, create, analyze and experience “things” in new ways. With ThingWorx, users can connect any device in the ecosystem to the platform; remove complexity and develop IoT applications and solutions without limits; automate complex big data analytics using integrated machine learning; extend and share innovation with other IoT developers; and deploy solutions to meet the needs of the market – cloud, on-premise and embedded options meet the needs of every use case.
The ThingWorx platform offers rapidly developing and deploying applications that recognize and capitalize on the opportunity and value to be found in the emerging IoT market. The fast, simplified, and unified approach by ThingWorx to develop IoT applications enables companies to iteratively innovate business processes faster than conventional methods and tools, thus accelerating time to value, reducing cost and risk, and transforming how products, people, and systems connect and interact.
The ThingWorx platform makes it easy for partners, such as the Altice Group, to deliver relevant solutions and provide access to a large number of devices, machines or natively compatible connected modules. ThingWorx simplifies creation and deployment of applications for smart, connected products by giving developers the tools they need to connect, build, analyze, experience, and collaborate about their “things”.
Enterprises that require access to more specific business solutions can also rely on a set of certified technology partners in the ThingWorx ecosystem. The platform provides companies with a large variety of application program interfaces for ease in sharing data with third-party solutions.
“The launch of IoT services and solutions across SFR and Portugal Telecom opens up new areas of business, broadens our coverage, and gives us new reach in the European market,” said Jim Heppelmann, president and CEO, PTC. “We are looking forward to working with the Altice Group as they build their IoT footprint and bring exciting new value to customers around the globe.”
Altice also partnered with Sigfox, provider of global communications service for the IoT to integrate Sigfox’s connectivity in the group’s service offering in France and internationally. Altice customers and divisions in France and internationally will benefit from Sigfox Connectivity, which complements the group’s telecom offer.
This alliance aims to offer complementary connectivity solutions that democratize the IoT in all sectors of the economy and expand the offer of connected solutions for businesses and consumers. With its focus on investing in growth, Altice is building an international group based on the convergence of mobile and fixed high-speed networks with media, content and platform services in Western Europe (comprising France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal and Switzerland), the United States, Israel, and the Overseas Territories (currently comprising the French Caribbean, the Indian Ocean regions and the Dominican Republic).
