Continuing on its quest to deploy Random Phase Multiple Access technology around the world, Ingenu announced that RPMA licensees RPMAnetworks and Mainland China Telecommunication Co. (MCT) struck a new partnership aimed at delivering integrated internet of things (IoT) products and services to the global market.
The IoT network operators RPMAnetworks and MCT China will combine forces around product development, sourcing, manufacturing, network operations and solution deployment. The companies said that by combining efforts, they will be able to deliver new and faster IoT products and services to all markets.
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The move is also being described as a way to further consolidate the Chinese and GCC markets as the world’s fastest growing markets for IoT innovation and adoption.
“It is an honor to work with RPMAnetworks to further demonstrate that IoT is already here and now,” said Michael Zhou, CEO of MCT China, in a news release. “By joining forces, we will focus on how to accelerate the entire IoT industry via a global adoption of standards. The rollout of RPMA in China has already established a proven track record for all aspects of IoT innovation and realization, and we expect to mirror this success in advancing the IoT industry globally.”
Ingenu announced at Mobile World Congress 2017 in Barcelona that it had expanded its IoT connectivity technology to 29 countries across the globe, as well as the rollout of its Machine Network across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
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RPMAnetworks is a Dubai-based IoT network operator with exclusive RPMA licenses in the markets of UAE, Saudi, Malaysia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain.
By combining forces with MCT China, “we can continue to advance the internet of things, and maximize its benefit for users, smart cities, countries and the industry as a whole,” said RPMAnetworks CEO Fred Wohl said in a prepared statement.
In the U.S., Ingenu launched in more than 30 metro areas in 2016 and its goal is to cover 100 in 2017. Earlier this year, it touted the deployment of its technology in its hometown of San Diego, California.
While myriad technologies are competing in the IoT space, Ingenu said an advantage of RPMA is it uses the 2.4 GHz ISM band, which is available globally, so one radio module can serve applications throughout the world, providing scale and driving down costs. It also requires fewer towers to provide coverage to large areas—1:10 to 1:30 radio towers needed for RPMA versus cellular, whose Narrowband IoT standards-based technology is likely RPMA’s closest competitor.
The RPMA technology was developed by some of the pioneers who invented CDMA—The company was previously known as On-Ramp Wireless until a corporate relaunch in 2015.
CEO John Horn is well-known in the industry and helped develop T-Mobile’s M2M program. The board includes former Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg, former Verizon CTO Dick Lynch and is advised by retired Qualcomm CTO Andrew Viterbi.