Berg Insight: Wireless M2M connections in Europe to Reach 25 Million by 2009

Tekrati Research News covers a new report from Berg Insight that finds "wireless machine to machine (M2M) connections in continental Europe are expected to grow rapidly, from approximately 5 million wireless M2M connections today to at least 25 million by 2009. Longer term, wireless M2M connections could expand to at least 300 million utility meters, 250 million vehicles, and 50 million other devices. Applications include monitoring, taxation, billing and payments, insurance, and security."

Tobias Ryberg at Berg Insight said, "We know that growth in the number of mobile phones is coming to an end in the developed world. There is however now clear evidence that other devices will assume the leading role in market developments. As people migrate to the new 3G networks in growing numbers, the old reliable GSM-networks will increasingly become the domains of our machines."

Ryberg added, "Right now we have several projects where up to 500,000 electricity meters will be connected to mobile networks for automated meter reading and that is just the beginning. It is the same in the vehicle sector. Half a million trucks are now monitored with GSM/GPS as part of Germany's Toll Collect system and over one hundred thousand motorists in Italy have signed up for pay-as-you-drive insurance schemes."