Sprint, Axeda Announce Alliance for Global M2M Solutions

OVERLAND PARK, KS, and FOXBORO, MA -- Embedded wireless broadband chips are expanding functionality across a vast range of devices beyond just mobile phones. Sprint (NYSE:S) and Axeda Corp. announced an alliance to make it easier, faster and more cost-efficient for businesses to take machine-to-machine (M2M) solution ideas from concept to completion and deliver connected products using the Sprint 3G network and the Axeda Platform.

Connected products such as e-readers, security devices, utility meters, and patient health monitors are already driving new business models and significant revenue streams across a variety of industries. According to ABI Research, it is predicted that revenue from these products in markets such as consumer, government, energy and utilities, and healthcare could grow 250% by the year 2013.

Sprint and Axeda help businesses take advantage of these opportunities by providing a highly secure, scalable and communication-optimized platform to build applications - allowing companies to focus on providing a business solution, not the enabling technology. Easy deployment through cloud-based services provide for faster time to market with no infrastructure costs.

"Over the last 12-months, we have seen a significant increase in enterprise-scale projects to create new products and services based on connected devices," said Josh Holbrook, director, Yankee Group. "The challenge they face is managing the sheer volume of information coming from these devices - they need to build applications that make sense of this data and turn it into actionable information."

For over a decade, Sprint has collaborated with customers and partners in a variety of industries to help develop deliver and support innovative M2M solutions. Sprint boasts that millions of embedded/M2M devices are running on the Sprint Network and partners benefit from the ability to certify devices on the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network through the company's Open Device Initiative.

"Partnering with Axeda enables Sprint to take advantage of the limitless business opportunities presented by connecting the rapidly expanding number of embedded and non-traditional mobile devices," said Wayne Ward, vice president of Emerging Solutions, Sprint. "The Axeda Platform already powers some of the most advanced M2M applications on the market and our relationship will give our customers proven, enterprise-class technology with which to build critical business applications."

Over 100 major organizations, including Abbott, EMC, Diebold, and NetApp rely on the Axeda Platform today to get value from their connected products. A Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) solution, it reduces complexity and costs and provides key capabilities such as: condition monitoring, content management, location-based services, business rules, secure communication, and enterprise system integration that speed the creation of connected products.

"Our platform is built to manage hundreds of millions of interactions between products, people, and businesses on a daily basis," said Dale Calder, president & CEO, Axeda. "Our alliance with Sprint allows for the cellular transmission of communications to be optimized for minimum cost to customers, while enabling them to take advantage of the reliability and speed of the Sprint 3G network."

About Axeda
Axeda Corp. is the leading Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) company for connected products. The company's VeriSign Security certified platform and applications allow companies to connect, manage, service, and interact with assets anywhere—it serves over 100 of the world's leading enterprises including Agilent, Diebold, and EMC. Axeda Corp. is a privately held company headquartered in Foxboro, MA.

About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two wireless networks serving more than 48 million customers at the end of the fourth quarter of 2009 and the first and only 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The company's customer-focused strategy has led to improved first call resolution and customer care satisfaction scores.