Vodafone unveils big push into Internet of Things

Vodafone entered the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) consumer market on Tuesday with the launch of its ‘V by Vodafone’ brand, enabling consumers to connect “millions” of home and leisure electronics products to the group's dedicated global IoT network.

The FTSE 100 mobile and broadband provider described ‘V by Vodafone’ as a “new, simple system” for consumers to connect and manage IoT devices and a product range that includes a connected car dongle, a 4G security camera, a pet location and activity tracker and a bag location tracker.

It said its consumer IoT strategy would build upon its own track record in developing and implementing enterprise IoT technologies.

The group currently boasted 59 million IoT connections and an international network and services platform for a “wide range” of business-critical applications.

Its board said ‘V by Vodafone’ comprised a dedicated IoT ‘V-Sim’ - a SIM card which will be shipped as standard with IoT-enabled consumer electronics products sold by Vodafone from Tuesday.

It would also be also offered by third-party retailers next year.

The product family also included the ‘V by Vodafone’ smartphone app, which would provide customers with a “single and intuitive” overview of all IoT-enabled products registered to their account.

Setting up each product would involve scanning a QR code on the product packaging to register it, and add the monthly fee to their existing Vodafone mobile account.

Products in the range would feature automatic connection out-of-the-box to the international Vodafone IoT network in any of 32 countries, with the company saying customers would benefit from a “straightforward” means of managing all of their connected devices from a single interface in any of those markets.

It added that, unlike Wi-Fi-enabled devices, ‘V by Vodafone’ products were constantly connected wherever there is a mobile signal.

The product family carried a single, “affordable” fixed monthly price plan for each product connected with a ‘V-Sim by Vodafone’, making it easy for consumers to use multiple IoT-enabled products, with plans to launch a new online product marketplace open to IoT developers that would extend the product choice for customers during 2018.

Vodafone said the ‘V by Vodafone’ concept and product range were developed with insights from “comprehensive research” involving more than 15,000 consumers in Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.

“The Internet of Things is already beginning to transform how businesses operate,” said Vodafone group chief executive Vittorio Colao.

“Over the next decade, the expansion of IoT into consumer markets will bring about an equally dramatic shift in how people manage their daily lives, at home and in their leisure time.”

Colao said ‘V by Vodafone’ would make it “simple” to connect a range of IoT-enabled devices, helping customers keep “everyone and everything that matters” safe and secure.

“We look forward to applying our world-leading expertise in IoT to help consumers make the most of the next phase of the global digital revolution.”

Vodafone said it has focused on four product categories at launch, with other categories to follow in 2018.

It said the products would be available for purchase by current Vodafone mobile customers from Tuesday in selected Vodafone stores in Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, and could also be purchased online at v.vodafone.com.

The four product categories included ‘V-Auto’ - a plug-and-drive connected car dongle that would add a number of safety and security features to a car; ‘V-Camera’ - a high-definition connected surveillance camera; ‘V-Pet’ - a location and activity tracker for cats and dogs; and ‘V-Bag’ - an advanced bag tracker.