- Deutsche Telekom and BMW agree on further cooperation
- Deutsche Telekom to provide mobile communications technology and network services for BMW's online mobility service ConnectedDrive
- Continuation of a long-standing, successful partnership
Partnering for more safety and more fun when driving - Deutsche Telekom and BMW AG have signed a contract about their further strategic cooperation. The main focus of the contract are the BMW ConnectedDrive driver assistance and information services. Together with its roaming partners in Europe and a host of other countries worldwide, Deutsche Telekom will provide mobile transmission capacity to enable BMW drivers to use BMW ConnectedDrive virtually everywhere and anytime. The new contract expands the existing partnership between Deutsche Telekom and BMW. As part of their cooperation, the two partners jointly developed a new M2M SIM (machine-to-machine), among other things. The cooperation between BMW and Telekom comprises technical issues as well as joint sales activities for business customers. By partnering with one of the most innovative car makers, Deutsche Telekom is highlighting its leading role in the growth areas for mobility solutions and M2M communication. From the Group's viewpoint, the cooperation with the BMW Group is setting standards for smartly and safely connecting cars using mobile Internet. This is an important trend for the automotive as well as the telecommunication industry. BMW is the first car manufacturer to use mobile communications technology in vehicles as standard; to do so, its cars are delivered with built-in M2M SIM cards from Deutsche Telekom. This equipment enables the mobile connection of BMW's smart ConnectedDrive driver assistance and information services using the mobile communications networks of Deutsche Telekom and its partners. In an emergency, the innovative solution allows the fastest possible call for help - once the car's in-built crash sensors are activated, the mobile communications technology automatically establishes a voice connection to a call center which in turn instantly informs the nearest rescue coordination center. Using BMW ConnectedDrive, car drivers can also activate the breakdown service, book hotel rooms, obtain the latest business and weather news, and much more. The vehicle can even arrange service appointments at a BMW dealership automatically. Parkinfo, another BMW ConnectedDrive service, helps drivers to find the nearest available car park, saving themselves and the environment lengthy searching for a free parking space. Based on BMW ConnectedDrive, BMW also offers access to e-mail communication and open Internet in the car.
About Deutsche Telekom AG Deutsche Telekom is one of the world's leading integrated telecommunications companies with over 131 million mobile customers, around 37 million fixed-network lines and nearly 16 million broadband lines (as of June 30, 2010). The Group provides fixed-network, mobile communications, Internet and IPTV products and services for consumers, and ICT solutions for business and corporate customers. Deutsche Telekom is present in around 50 countries and has over 251,000 employees worldwide. The Group generated revenues of EUR 64.6 billion in the 2009 financial year - more than half of it outside Germany (as of December 31, 2009).