Since February, 170 new partners - which includes device manufacturers, solution providers and distributors from Europe and the US - have joined the Programme with expansion into other markets expected this year. Interest in the Programme continues to grow with 100 additional companies close to joining as M2M partners.
The M2M Global Partner Programme was first launched in the USA by Telefónica in June 2013 as a way for the company to extend its commercial reach by partnering with key players in the M2M value chain. Telefónica is also able to use the Programme to find successful M2M Service Providers that could become future vertical solution partners for the company. The partner ecosystem supports a collaborative approach with M2M companies, enriching Telefónica’s M2M proposition to potential customers and generating a multiplier effect in terms of scale. In addition, partners can use the Programme as a way to reach new markets, helping them to increase sales and create new revenue opportunities.
Rafael García Meiro, Director B2B Global Partners Sales – Indirect Sales Channels at Telefónica commented “Our Programme has been positively embraced by the m2m market, exceeding our initial expectations and proving that this framework can establish new commercial opportunities.
“We’re moving fast, having surpassed our partner targets 6 months ahead of plan. We will now be working to extend the Programme into new regions which will further accelerate membership and enhance the portfolio of M2M solutions we can sell to our customers.
“The continued success of the M2M Global Partner Programme proves that Telefónica remains a leader in the M2M market and is further evidence of our successful transformation into a digital telco.”
It is estimated that there will be up to 20 billion objects connected by 2020 according to the GSMA. By comparison in 2004 only 92 million devices were connected worldwide.
The Global Partner Programme, and Telefónica’s activity in the global M2M market more widely, was recently praised - for the second year in a row - by Machina Research in their annual “Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Communications Service Provider – Benchmarking 2014″ report. Telefónica is listed among the four major global players dominating the global M2M market with activity such as the win of the UK smart meter contract and notable connectivity deals with the likes of Tesla and JC Decaux cited.