- Home appliances and technical building services easily managed via the Internet - even when on the go
- The new platform is flexible and secure
- Partners E.ON, EnWB, eQ-3 and Miele to set standards for home management
"Smart Connect" is the management platform for the smart home. It integrates various home management technologies: windows, lighting, shutters/blinds, alarm systems, or home appliances can be easily controlled remotely with a smartphone or tablet. The platform provides a secure and flexible infrastructure for manufacturers and vendors of technical building services and home appliances or energy providers, thereby also enabling them to offer smart home services. E.ON, EnBW, eQ-3, Miele und Telekom will co-develop a technical platform for the varied applications required for the smart home. These partners contribute with their industry and product-specific know-how and encourage the creation of an ecosystem, which allows all individual components to work together. In return, they benefit from Deutsche Telekom’s know-how in the fields of communication hardware, software and networks, whereby they can subsequently also offer their services via Smart Connect. From the user’s perspective, this platform offers maximum security and convenience. Compared to a series of different "isolated solutions", significant advantages in procurement and installation costs can also be expected. Further partnerships with home appliance manufacturers, security solutions and utilities providers and vendors of technical building services are underway. Platform for every type of broadband connection The Telekom platform is available from mid-2012 for customers residing in Germany and, irrespective of the telecommunication provider, can be used for every type of broadband connection. The key component of the platform is the so-called "Smart Connect Box" which is located in the customer’s home and, in conjunction with various cloud-based functions, acts as the local service center. In this regard, Deutsche Telekom relies on equipment manufactured by Sumitomo. "Together with our partners, we aim to lay the foundations of the connected home of the future. The "Smart Connect" platform meets high security standards and can be tailored as a flexible, open solution to meet the requirements of the respective provider", explains Holger Knöpke, Head of Connected Home at Deutsche Telekom, and adds, "In today’s world, people live in an environment that has ever greater demands on mobility and flexibility. Together with our partners, we focus on making everyday life easier and, at the same time, on fulfilling the demands of consumers with respect to ecological aspects and costs." "For the power grid of the future, "Smart Connect" is a key component between the energy industry and consumers", says Gabriele Riedmann de Trinidad, Head of the Group business area for Energy at Deutsche Telekom, and adds, "Utilities providers like E.ON and EnBW can now offer their customers intelligent services that enable the transmission of information about the best kilowatt-hour rate to the intelligent washing machine, when a certain amount of electricity is needed. This way, it is possible to integrate power generated from wind and solar energy into the base load and prevent power failure." By 2020, around half of all households in Germany could well be equipped with at least one such "smart" application. Energy efficiency is a topic that is becoming increasingly important for consumers. According to BITKOM, the German Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media, it is possible to achieve annual potential savings of up to 20% in the energy consumption of German households. And the intelligent home network can help consumers save money.
About Deutsche Telekom Deutsche Telekom is one of the world’s leading integrated telecommunications companies with around 128 million mobile customers, 35 million fixed-network lines and almost 17 million broadband lines (as of June 30, 2011). 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 approximately 241,000 employees worldwide. The Group generated revenues of EUR 62.4 billion in the 2010 financial year – more than half of it outside Germany (as of December 31, 2010).