Truphone Announces Cellnetrix Acquisition to Drive Aggressive Expansion into IoT and eSIM

LONDON, October 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

New strategic acquisition to power global expansion plans, build strategic partnerships & develop new IoT services 

Truphone, the first global mobile operator, announces today it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire Cellnetrix Group, a pioneering secure SIM OS solutions provider. Headquartered in Munich, Germany, Cellnetrix provides innovative secure embedded products, which have powered over 250 million mobile devices worldwide to date.

This newly-acquired capability will help Truphone deliver on its ambitious plan to disrupt the trillion-dollar mobile industry and power the world's connected devices, which are expected to total 50 billion by 2020^[1]. The company plans to continue developing its unique, fully globalised mobile connectivity platform, designed to provide end-to-end embedded connectivity irrespective of device type.

By partnering with OEMs and chipset manufacturers, with a mobile subscription being provisioned at the time of manufacture and Over The Air configuration, Truphone is able to offer easy in-life management solutions, challenging the established supply chain. This essentially creates bootstrap connectivity so that devices can connect locally wherever they are.

Through this solution, Truphone expects to accelerate the adoption of mobile connectivity in the IoT world by significantly simplifying access to and provisioning of mobile connectivity, while also reducing the number of relationships that are required to be established in order to make a device connected to the internet.

The move comes in the wake of the announcement that Truphone has raised £255m to retire its debt and expand into IoT. The acquisition also follows a recent deal between Truphone and Apple that saw the UK tech firm become a global connectivity provider for new iPads, building on its status as the first global mobile operator.

Ralph Steffens, CEO, Truphone said:
"Truphone continues to be the driving force reshaping the global mobile industry.

Our disruptive Connectivity EcoSystem combines Mobile Connectivity, next generation SIM technology and a market leading Management Platform. As a result of this unique proposition we are the enabler of choice for disruptive IoT and eSIM solutions as well as highly differentiated Enterprise solutions like our unique regulated mobile recording solution used by many Tier 1 Investment banks around the globe.  

Ultimately, we believe mobile connectivity should be as easy, cost-efficient and simple as using an app."  

Dr Vladimir Nagin, CEO, Cellnetrix Group, added:
"We're really pleased with the opportunity to join the Truphone Group at such an exciting time for the industry. Adoption of new Embedded SIM technologies, which enable secure provisioning and activation of network subscriptions directly in consumer or IoT devices, without a conventional SIM card, has a huge potential for various industries. Leveraging Truphone's experience in mobile connectivity and the company's global reach will help us to enhance our current product proposition significantly and to serve better the needs of IoT market."

Established in 2006, Truphone has enjoyed a period of rapid expansion and now has more than 350 staff in 11 offices worldwide.

About Truphone:
Truphone's pioneering technology is changing the way the world communicates, creating a whole new set of possibilities for businesses and consumers alike.

Headquartered in London, our global network and patented SIM technology powers connectivity on the move. We are the organisation developing and delivering game-changing products and services: the eSIM for all new Apple iPads available in 31 countries by the end of 2017; IoT solutions that already power connected cars; and global mobile call recording solutions that enable trading compliance for financial institutions.

More than 3,500 companies rely on us as their business mobile provider. The majority of the world's largest Tier 1 investment banks entrust Truphone globally with their mobile voice and SMS recording, which helps meet the challenging requirements of MiFID II regulation, being imposed on 3 January 2018 by the EU.

To learn more, visit truphone.com

Reference:  

1. Software.org: the BSA Foundation (2017), 'Connecting to New Opportunities Through Connected Devices', https://software.org/press-release/connecting-to-new-opportunities-through-connected-devices/

Press Contacts:
Matic Boh, Seven Hills
matic.boh@wearesevenhills.com
+44-(0)20-7199-6180