Vodafone is working with Emirati operator e& to supply Mercedes-Benz with cellular IoT for its vehicles in the United Arab Emirates. Vodafone is to supply an eSIM solution for in-vehicle connectivity and digital services. It will be active, and available for Mercedes-Benz customers, during the first half of 2025. At the same time, e& will grant local access to its own IoT network (and “capabilities”) to Vodadone customers.
The two companies are practically joined at the hip, anyway; last month the state-owned Emirates Investment Authority, operating under the e& brand, raised its shareholding in UK-based Vodafone Group to about 15 percent of its voting rights. The pair have a “strategic relationship”, as well, to collaborate in “growth areas” where both firms can benefit from “each other’s operational scale and geographic footprint”.
The new IoT deal is between e& UAE, the local operator, and Vodafone Business IoT, the UK group’s spin-off IoT business, hived off from the mothership in April, and positioned to sell IoT services and solutions through any channel, including via other operators. The combination means “locally configured connectivity” in the UAE and “cross-border [IoT] connectivity” for customers of both firms, starting with Mercedes-Benz.
Erik Brenneis, chief executive at Vodafone Business IoT, said: “This agreement means that OEMs – like Mercedes-Benz – will be able to deploy their connected cars to their customers in the UAE, while being assured that their customers will reap the benefits of reliable, fully-compliant connectivity. We look forward to our continued relationship with e&, and hyperscaling our managed IoT connectivity service in the region.”
Masood Sharif Mahmood, chief executive at e& UAE, said: “This… marks a significant step in the evolution of automotive connectivity. By amplifying Vodafone’s global IoT capabilities with e& UAE’s secure connectivity services and reliable network, we’re set to deliver a truly seamless and innovative solution for Mercedes-Benz in the country. This partnership will continue to bring cutting-edge solutions to the connected car industry.”