German telecommunication firm Deutsche Telekom has expanded Qivicon, its smart home platform, into two new markets – Slovakia and Norway.
German telecommunication firm Deutsche Telekom has expanded Qivicon, its smart home platform, into two new markets – Slovakia and Norway.
Slovak Telekom, Deutsche Telekom’s subsidiary in Slovakia, will be the local service provider. The services will be launched via Nettalliansen, a group of 47 regional utility companies in Norway.
Qivicon is a smart home service with white label portfolio, which permits fast market entry for other companies interested in the smart home market. The portfolio already includes the Qivicon Smart Home platform with smart home gateways, apps, devices and services. Other companies then have the option to adjust the offering to meet their clients’ individual needs.
For example, Nettalliansen plans to provide the platform as an assisted service for seniors and professional health services under the name Hitch. Also, pricing models can vary by countries; companies can provide one-time payment services or charge a monthly subscription fee.
Many telecommunication companies entered the smart home market in the role of service providers thanks to their infrastructure strength, experience and close tie to consumer homes. The white label portfolio provided by Deutsche Telekom could allow for a quicker entry into the smart home market.
“If companies offer their customers applications including Internet, telephony, television and smart home from a single source, they are sure to strengthen customer retention,” said Thomas Rockmann, the vice president of Connected Home at Deutsche Telekom, in a statement.
The basic app is an attractive way to generate customer interest in connected home solutions. Consumers can try it out over a period of time and then upgrade to a premium smart home version with more functionality later, if they wish to do so, Rockmann added.
Meanwhile, Deutsche Telekom announced partnership with Centralite and Sengled to develop products compatible with Qivicon. Their products will join the other 200 or so compatible devices. Centralite will offer smart plugs, motion sensors and water detectors in the Slovak market.