1NCE signs exclusive deal with SoftBank Corp. to drive IoT expansion in Asia-Pacific

Cologne, Germany (June 8, 2022) –1NCE today announced that SoftBank Corp. has secured an equity stake in the company and signed an exclusive distribution deal covering the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. SoftBank Corp., a leading Japanese communication and information technology service provider, will sell 1NCE IoT services exclusively in 19 APAC markets.

1NCE will open sales offices and technical operations in Singapore and Tokyo to expand its service capability to Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Since 2017, 1NCE has disrupted the IoT marketplace by providing flat rate connectivity for IoT sensors across the world for the lifetime of the device. Eighty percent of IoT projects require multinational deployments, but few mobile network operators have the capability to meet these demands. 1NCE, in partnership with operators, now delivers fast, secure, and reliable connectivity and software to more than 110 countries, with plans to expand its footprint to more than 140 by the end of 2022.

“1NCE is the only company that can deliver true cross-border, future-proof IoT connectivity without uncertainty – a perfect extension of SoftBank Corp.’s existing IoT portfolio,” said Daichi Nozaki, Vice President, Head of Global Business Division, Enterprise Business Unit at SoftBank Corp. “We’ve closely followed 1NCE’s strong U.S. launch earlier this year and expect the same explosive growth in the underserved APAC region.”

“With our existing Hong Kong office and with SoftBank Corp.’s support in establishing new offices in Singapore and Tokyo, we are supercharging the rollout of 1NCE’s lifetime, flat rate IoT in the region,” said Alexander P. Sator, CEO at 1NCE. “And with multiple mobile network operators now invested in 1NCE, we have validation that we’re on the right track to become the global leader in IoT connectivity and software.”

“Asia is by far the biggest market for cellular-connected IoT. According to the Transforma Insights TAM Forecast database, collectively the 19 countries covered by the cooperation accounted for 57 percent of cellular IoT annual shipments in 2021 and will represent more than half of the world’s cellular IoT connections for at least the next decade,” added Matt Hatton of Transforma Insights.

Guided by the SoftBank Group’s corporate philosophy, “Information Revolution – Happiness for everyone,” SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) provides telecommunications services and combines them with advanced technologies to develop and operate new businesses in Japan and globally. In the year ended March 2022, SoftBank Corp. registered 5.7 trillion yen of revenue, 985.7 billion of operating income, and had 319 group companies (245 subsidiaries and 74 affiliates), both in Japan and abroad. SoftBank Corp. has 57 million mobile and broadband subscribers in Japan, and through its group companies Yahoo Japan Corporation, PayPay Corporation and LINE Corporation, 86 million online media users, 46 million smartphone payment users and 92 million communication app users, respectively (as of May 11, 2022). With this strong business foundation and compelling number of customer touchpoints, SoftBank Corp. is expanding into non-telecom fields in line with its “Beyond Carrier” growth strategy while further growing its telecom business. Also, by fully harnessing the power of 5G, AI, IoT, Digital Twin, Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) solutions, including High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS)-based stratospheric telecommunications, and other key technologies, SoftBank Corp. aims to realize the “Implementation of Digitalization into Society.” In recognition of its ESG initiatives, SoftBank Corp. was selected for inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices, FTSE4Good, 2022 Constituent MSCI Japan ESG Select Leaders Index and other leading global ESG investments indices. To learn more, please visit https://www.softbank.jp/en/

1NCE is the only provider of connectivity and software for IoT at a global flat rate – offering fast, secure, and reliable cellular connectivity and software services in more than 110 countries worldwide. The 1NCE IoT Flat Rate is designed to last over the entire lifetime of an IoT device with a one-off payment of $10 for 10 years, making IoT applications affordable and scalable for smart utilities, asset tracking, vehicle telematics and other uses. The company – founded in 2017 by CEO Alexander P. Sator together with Deutsche Telekom AG – is headquartered in Cologne, Germany and has 200 staff in Amsterdam, Cologne, Hamburg, Hong Kong, London, Miami, Paris, Riga, Rome, and Warsaw. Learn more online and follow 1NCE on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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