Newswatch

By: Jesse Cryderman

Tis' the Season for Partnerships

Summer is here, and while many folks take holiday to spend time with family, it seems communications service providers are finding ways to spend more time together as well. This month Nokia Siemens Networks and Everything Everywhere joined forces to create interactive, cloud-connected vending machines that are enabled with M2M technology; Deutsche Telekom partnered with VMware for cloud services; and AT&T and Acclaim Energy teamed on smartgrid solutions.

Verizon and Comcast leveraged the power of partnership to offer customers in ten additional states access to a variety of video, communications, and internet incentives. Verizon also joined with BMW, Honda, Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors and Toyota Motor Sales, Inc. to launch the 4G Venture Forum for Connected Cars. The area of telematics, or broadly the connected car, is getting a lot of press these days, as both manufacturers and CSPs attempt to shape the vision of the future of transportation. The 4G Venture Forum will become an incubator for solutions and standards. An additional level of safety must be considered when designing in-vehicle solutions. “There are many challenges to designing next generation telematics and infotainment solutions, including supporting safe and responsible driving, advancing vehicle-to-vehicle solutions and improving sustainability, among others,” said Tami Erwin, Chief Marketing Officer, Verizon Wireless.

Oracle Officially Enters the Cloud

Shortly after acquiring yet another cloud company (Collective Intellect), Oracle formally announced their cloud strategy. Responding to criticisms that Oracle is late to the cloud game, CEO Larry Ellison argued the Oracle simply spent the time to do cloud right.

“Almost seven years of relentless engineering and innovation plus key strategic acquisitions. An investment of billions. We are now announcing the most comprehensive Cloud on the planet Earth,” said Ellison, the day of the new services launch.

Oracle reported good numbers at the end of their fiscal year, and Mr. Ellison bought a Hawaiian Island at the end of June, so presumably business is good.