Telecom operator AT&T today announced its Internet of Things deal with Current, powered by GE, to connect cities across the United States and Mexico to IoT.
AT&T is the exclusive reseller of Current’s intelligent sensor nodes in the U.S. and Mexico. Current, powered by GE, utilizes the AT&T Smart Cities framework to bring software and hardware solutions to connect cities to the Industrial Internet.
AT&T and Current are already working with San Diego and Atlanta to transform existing street lighting into a connected digital infrastructure.
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AT&T has been using its IoT expertise to create smart city solutions for cities since launching its Smart Cities organization in 2015.
The agreement with Current significantly extends AT&T’s smart city services and opens new revenue opportunities for the company.
By introducing GE’s Predix-powered IoT platform, AT&T can use outdoor LED lighting in a city to create a digital infrastructure that helps address issues like traffic flow and parking optimization, gunshot detection on city streets, air quality monitoring and weather emergency alerts.
“Our collaboration with Current will enable us to use a city’s existing lighting infrastructure to more securely connect sensor-enabled networks. This will put them on the path to becoming a smarter, more sustainable city,” said Chris Penrose, president, Internet of Things Solutions, AT&T.
Recently, Current, GE’s digital industrial startup business, announced a deal with the City of San Diego to upgrade the city’s outdoor light fixtures to sensor-enabled LED technology, making it the world’s largest smart city IoT platform.
AT&T will be the data carrier and provide secure connectivity for the San Diego deployment, which is expected to save the city approximately $2.4 million in annual energy costs.
AT&T also serves as a connectivity-as-a-service collaborator for GE’s Predix platform.
“AT&T has a long history of working commercially with municipalities, and our technology will be a perfect fit toward helping more cities unleash the limitless potential of the Industrial Internet,” said said John Gordon, chief digital officer of Current, powered by GE.
“AT&T and GE are the companies that modernized the telephone and light bulb. Together, we will usher in a new digital frontier, giving cities and citizens alike the benefits of a connected city,” said Mike Zeto, general manager, AT&T Smart Cities.
