LAS VEGAS, Sept. 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, are leading an effort to drive innovation, productivity and value for businesses, consumers and citizens enabled by the Internet of Things (IoT). To deliver the next-generation of IoT products and services requiring low power and low bandwidth, for the first time, Verizon will pre-integrate its ThingSpace IoT platform as-a-service within Qualcomm Technologies' MDM9206 Category M (Cat M1) LTE modem. The initiative also utilizes Verizon's leading 4G LTE network as the gateway for simplifying the process of building, deploying and managing IoT applications customized for a wide-range of use cases. The companies announced their IoT collaboration at the start of CTIA Super Mobility 2016 in Las Vegas and expect that the ThingSpace IoT platform will be available for OEM integration on MDM9206-based solutions in early 2017.

Establishing Cat M1 as the industry standard

Historically, the cost to connect IoT devices to the LTE wide area network has been higher than linking to other technologies like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zwave or ZigBee. Verizon and Qualcomm Technologies have a strong track record of working with companies to embed LTE chipsets in connected devices, making it faster to deploy IoT devices on 4G LTE. Through this collaboration, the companies are now on a path to make the opportunity-cost of connecting intelligent devices on 4G LTE more compelling by using Category M1 as the new standard – all with LTE's superior security, reliability and reach.

Easing innovation for developers and businesses

Businesses developing on Qualcomm Technologies' Cat M1 LTE modem beginning with the MDM9206, will be able to speed up connectivity to the cloud seamlessly using ThingSpace – Verizon's global IoT platform which allows developers worldwide to build and manage applications. The availability of ThingSpace within low power LTE modems offered by Qualcomm Technologies, a leading wireless semiconductor company, accelerates the development of a new and innovative digital ecosystem of intelligent connected devices on 4G LTE at scale. In doing so, the two tech companies also anticipate tackling the barriers most commonly associated with IoT deployments – including firmware management, real-time device diagnostics, device onboarding and  data access. The collaboration also aims to bring even more sophisticated apps to the forefront such as device security and sensor data visualization.

"When it comes to the Internet of Things, no single company can go at it alone in order to scale from the millions of devices to the billions of devices needed to create cleaner cities, deliver better healthcare, conserve water and make the digital world work better for consumers and citizens," said Mike Lanman, senior vice president Enterprise Products and IoT at Verizon. "Simplicity is a necessary starting point and working across the ecosystem – at the network, platform and application levels – is also needed in order to capture the real market opportunity of the Internet of Things."

"That's why solidifying our long-standing relationship with Qualcomm Technologies in this manner to give developers worldwide the tools they need to innovate seamlessly, securely and in a cost-effective structure on 4G LTE combined with our ThingSpace platform, built by Verizon Labs, is an exciting milestone for the industry," Lanman added.

"Wireless technologies, including LTE and 5G in the future, are rapidly evolving to deliver a scalable, unified and interoperable connectivity platform for the Internet of Things," said Raj Talluri, senior vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "Our LTE modems bring not only connectivity but also compute capabilities to all kinds of IoT devices, helping leading operators such as Verizon extend their business models into promising new areas including smart energy and metering, building security, infrastructure, industrial control and automation, retail point of sale and asset tracking."

About Qualcomm Incorporated

Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is a world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. Qualcomm Incorporated includes Qualcomm's licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of its patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of Qualcomm's engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of its products and services businesses, including its semiconductor business, QCT. For more than 30 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm's website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.

About Verizon Communications Inc.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE,Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York City, has a diverse workforce of nearly 162,700 and generated nearly $132 billion in 2015 revenues. Verizon operates America's most reliable wireless network, with 113.2 million retail connections nationwide. The company also provides communications and entertainment services over mobile broadband and the nation's premiere all-fiber network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers worldwide.

Verizon's Online News Center: News releases, feature stories, executive biographies and media contacts are available at Verizon's online News Center at www.verizon.com/news/. News releases are also available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit www.verizon.com/about/rss-feeds/.

Verizon media contacts:
Marie McGehee
908.229.1894
marie.mcgehee@verizon.com

Adria Tomaszewski
908.809.2382
Adria.tomaszewski@verizonwireless.com

Qualcomm media contacts
Pete Lancia
858.845.5959
corpcomm@qualcomm.com

John Sinnott (Investor Relations)
858.658.4813
ir@qualcomm.com

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SOURCE Verizon

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