AT&T and GE announced a global alliance agreement to allow GE machines to connect to the AT&T network and cloud, creating the first highly-secure wireless communications system for GE's "Industrial Internet."
The companies expect their machine-to-machine (M2M) communications system will allow customers to benefit from increased productivity. Workers using the system will be able to remotely track, monitor, record and operate GE machinery, virtually anywhere in the world.
The companies are developing solutions that combine AT&T network technologies, single Global SIM (subscriber identity module), device expertise, security, and cloud access for industrial products like electric vehicle chargers, lighting and engines. The companies also plan to collaborate in the AT&T Foundry innovation center to build M2M solutions for GE's Predix platform for proactively maintaining and remotely controling industrial machines.
"Imagine a world where an airline for example can remotely monitor, diagnose and resolve issues with its fleet engines virtually anywhere in the world," said Andy Geisse, Chief Executive Officer, AT&T Business Solutions. "GE's vision of the Industrial Internet combined with our global network and leadership in machine-to-machine solutions are a powerful combination to help businesses realize the benefits of connected machines."
"GE's collaboration with AT&T validates our shared and common vision for the Industrial Internet," said Bill Ruh, Vice President and Corporate Officer, GE Software. "Together, we see a future where the intersection of people, data and brilliant machines will have an enormous impact on the productivity and efficiency of industries around the world. By connecting machines to the network and the cloud, we are taking an important step to enable workers all around the world to track, monitor, and operate our machinery wirelessly and remotely through highly secure and machine-to-machine communications."
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