Celcom partners nTels to offer M2M Connected Services

• Strategic agreement for provision of M2M business solutions platform
• Expected to be rolled-out and available to customers by June 

CELCOM Axiata Bhd  has signed a strategic ‘teaming’ agreement with nTels Co Ltd, a global provider of integrated wired and wireless business solutions, for the provision of Celcom’s M2M (machine-to-machine) business solutions platform.

Celcom said its M2M Connected Services would give its customers and partners more control of their deployed devices. Customers will enjoy near real-time billing, self-service activation and deactivation, usage threshold management, and added monitoring features, the company said in a statement.

The new architecture will also enable efficient management of usage and costs through features such as alarm triggers for airtime over-usage, preventing “bill shocks” and promising customers reduced network expenses and greater visibility into their subscriptions, Celcom claimed.

“We are evolving our services,” said Jefri Ahmad Tambi (pic), chief business solutions officer at Celcom Axiata. “This new platform will offer an enhanced customer experience moving into the future, including the flexibility and control of self-service.”

It would also allow Celcom to meet customized requirements in a very short time, he added.

Under the agreement, nTels will provide its N-PLMS, N-Rater, N-Billing, and Self-Care Web Portal components as part of the integrated M2M Connected Services system architecture.

The platform will be fully hosted in Celcom’s data centers and connected via its nationwide mobile network, allowing customers to customize security access through their M2M SIM (subscriber identity module) devices within a secure private network without needing to connect via the Internet.

“Machines have been widely believed to be the next subscribers of the telecommunication service after human subscribers, and we share that belief,” said Lee Sang Yun (pic), nTels senior vice president.

“We are very eager to extend our knowledge and experience in convergence services to develop the M2M business together with Celcom (in this) next wave for growth in the telecommunication industry in Malaysia,” he added.

Celcom’s M2M Connected Services is expected to be rolled out and available to customers by June, with all current Celcom M2M accounts migrated from existing billing systems to this dedicated platform.

Current business solutions which stand to benefit from this platform include:
 

• Credit card POS (point-of-sales) – Banks and businesses will be able to monitor the data usage and the SIM status of their mobile credit card POS readers to avoid data over-usage

• Remote meter reading for utilities – Electricity and water supply service providers are able to send and receive billing information remotely and in real time via mobile readers

• Wireless ATM (automated teller machine) – With M2M wireless connectivity, banking institutions will be able to install and monitor ATMs anywhere in Malaysia

• Scada (supervisory control and data acquisition) – Industrial operators can monitor the status of for the failure of components e.g. power generators, engines or motors to detect or anticipate failures that can cause disruptions in output and supply

• Wireless CCTV (closed-circuit television) – Subscribers can monitor live video feeds on-the-go via a dedicated cloud network

• Fleet Management – M2M Connected Services can integrate vehicle monitoring, tracking, theft prevention, diagnostics, and route efficiency through a system accessible even from mobile devices

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