China Telecom and HKT Limited are extending their strategic partnership to encompass collaboration for the deployment of a common Internet of Things (IoT) open platform, which will serve their respective customers throughout the combined geographical footprints of Mainland China and Hong Kong.
The partnership, announced today during the conference of “eSurfing on the Silk Road, IoT with the World” in Shanghai, China, will allow customers from China Telecom and HKT to deploy IoT and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) services in each other’s network. It enables China Telecom’s enterprise customers with outbound IoT business to deploy their assets and offerings under HKT’s networks in Hong Kong. Similarly, HKT can expand into the rapidly growing Chinese market by leveraging on China Telecom’s IoT network resources and business capabilities. The seamless switching of IoT subscription between networks is achieved by the integration of the two commonly deployed Embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) platforms which are the key component of IoT collaboration across borders. The Multi-Domestic Service (MDS) is a global solution to address local connectivity requirements for global enterprise customers in different territories and is supported by the Ericsson Device Connection Platform (DCP) to enable a seamless customer experience.
China Telecom and HKT will cooperate both commercially and technically to create new service models that support the global IoT opportunities. Under this agreement, HKT and China Telecom will be the preferred partner of each other for M2M connectivity in Hong Kong and China based on the DCP platform and ecosystem. Both companies have also agreed to jointly explore the potential of enhancing existing IoT capabilities and the application of new technologies such as Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) and LTE-M in the global market.
Mr. Deng Xiao Feng, Managing Director of Global Business Department of China Telecom, said, “China Telecom has been working closely with HKT in multiple mobile businesses including roaming, MVNO and mobile payment. We are excited to extend our partnership to the IoT space with our newly launched IoT Open Platform. As Hong Kong is one of China’s largest trading partners, we believe this partnership will allow both companies to expand businesses into each other’s territory and benefit their respective customers.”
About China Telecom
China Telecommunications Corporation (“China Telecom”) is one of the largest state-owned telecommunication companies in China, with a total registered capital of RMB220.4 billion. At present, the size of China Telecom’s total assets exceeds RMB 700 billion, with annual revenue of more than RMB 380 billion. Ranking 132nd in the 2016 Fortune Global 500, China Telecom was awarded the Most Honored Company, the Best Managed Company in the Asia Telecom Sector, as well as the Best Managed Company in Asia by esteemed international institutions for consecutive years.
With the world’s largest broadband Internet network and a leading-edge mobile network, China Telecom is capable of providing cross-region, fully-integrated information services to global customers through its sound customer service channel system. Its comprehensive service capability has earned China Telecom a large customer base. By the end of 2016, the number of its broadband Internet subscribers exceeded 144 million, mobile subscribers exceeded 215 million, and fixed-line subscribers exceeded 132 million.
To drive corporate transformation, China Telecom has rolled out Transformation 3.0 strategy with a focus of upgrading intelligent network, service ecosystem and smart operation for the digital ecosystem. China Telecom will strive to become a leading comprehensive intelligent information service provider, with the aim of becoming a powerhouse in the Internet and cyber realms in order to serve the society and enhance people’s wellbeing.
