General Electric announced partnerships with AT&T, Cisco Systems and Intel to expand its Industrial Internet (M2M) service that allows its customers to analyze data and predict outcomes.
“This is a significant win for AT&T. We expect a tremendous number of M2M connections to be activated in the next 2–3 years, as millions of industrial components roll off GE production lines fitted with embedded M2M modules and will be dispersed around the globe. Consequently, we expect the deal will strengthen AT&T’s position as the leading US M2M service provider by number of connections,” said Morgan Mullooly, analyst at Analysys Mason.
Analysys Mason says GE has a platform to manage and service its customer connected equipment and devices. AT&T provides connectivity with a global SIM and other infrastructure components and services including cloud and security capabilities and device sourcing and certification. Customers of GE will have connectivity and new services built into their GE equipment.
The service helps customers analyze industrial big data – data so large that it is difficult to process using traditional database and software. This would help customers minimize downtime, increase productivity, lower fuel costs and reduce emissions.
GE says its 14 new Industrial Internet Predictivity technologies will enable industries to achieve outcomes such as minimal unplanned downtime, increased productivity, preventive maintenance, lower fuel costs and reduced emissions. GE’s solutions will be powered by Predix platform that provides a standard and secure way to connect machines, industrial big data and people.
By connecting machines to the network and the cloud, workers can track, monitor, and operate GE’s machinery wirelessly from anywhere through secure and machine-to-machine communications, GE Software’s Corporate Officer Bill Ruh said.
GE has existing partnerships with Amazon Web Services, Accenture and Pivotal to support the service. GE now offers customers 24 total Predictivity solutions, including 14 launched today.
According to GE, for the first ten products launched in the last year, revenues are $290 million year-to-date, with orders of $400 million. GE will its $160 billion services backlog to develop more technologies, grow revenue per installed base 3-5 percent annually, and increase software sales by more than 15 percent annually.
