M2M wireless connectivity from Orange empowers flaik to expand its tracking system to ski resorts worldwide
Location-based services company flaik is expanding its GPS-based locator system to international markets thanks to a global machine-to-machine (M2M) platform from Orange Business Services.
Based in Boulder, Colorado, flaik designs and develops tracking systems for a broad range of resorts and outdoor sports, including ski destinations and schools, mountain biking and hiking facilities and other activities that cover large areas. The company turned to Orange to extend its tracking system to ski resorts outside North America. Orange offers seamless M2M wireless connectivity that can support flaik’s tracking systems anywhere in the world. Today Orange is supporting flaik’s tracking system in eight countries – Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey – and will soon roll out the solution in additional countries throughout Eastern Europe and Asia Pacific.
flaik Tags embedded with Orange SIM cards act as a safety device as well as an innovative personal tracker. Data recorded by the flaik Tags is transmitted over the Orange network and is accessible through a Web-based portal via the Internet or a wireless connection. The location of skiers can be monitored anywhere on the mountain in real-time, which is an invaluable resource for tracking student skiers and finding lost skiers. The system is also an innovative way to chart personal performance on the slopes. Skiers can track where they skied, how long they spent on each run, the difficulty of each trail and their average top speeds.
“In Orange Business Services, we found the perfect partner to help us reach an international audience of ski resorts and sports enthusiasts,” said flaik CEO Steve Kenny. “Only Orange offered the global M2M connectivity with the scale, scope and security that we require. We can now expand beyond our North American roots and offer our services globally. With help from Orange, we are now rapidly expanding on one million plus skiers that we’ve tracked since our launch at Steamboat Resort and Copper Mountain in 2009.”
The Orange network provides stronger reliability for tracking the location of skiers and monitoring their progress on the slopes. Through Orange and its international M2M Center located in Brussels, flaik has a single, dedicated entity for managing its global M2M connectivity requirements, along with local implementation of the SIM cards and local contract negotiation support. Looking beyond the ski industry, flaik will rely on the Orange service to propel its tracking system into its other international core markets, such as cycling and mountain biking. In addition to international ski resorts, flaik is already supplying its GPS tracking systems to the North Shore Overlord GPS Mountain Bike Race in Canada and other one-of-a-kind specialty events, such as charity races.
“Orange Business Services is unsurpassed in providing comprehensive M2M with quality of service and a large global footprint,” said Diana Einterz, senior vice president, Americas, Orange Business Services. “It is these qualities that are appealing to a growing array of U.S companies who lack the resources to reach international markets. We are proud to help flaik achieve the full potential of its business.”
Frost & Sullivan and Berg Insight recognize Orange Business Services as the European leader in M2M growth.
About flaik flaik™ is revolutionizing outdoor sports with it’s real-time location-based suite of solutions for skiing, cycling and mountain biking, including its proprietary ski school and extensive events management platform modules. flaik™ launched it’s real-time tracking solution for skiing in the United States in November 2008 at Copper Mountain and Steamboat Resort. flaik™ is now used in 15 ski schools through-out North America & Europe. Learn more at www.flaik.com
About Orange Business Services Orange Business Services, the France Telecom-Orange branch dedicated to B2B services, is a leading global integrator of communications solutions for multinational corporations. With the world’s largest, seamless network for voice and data, Orange Business Services reaches 220 countries and territories with local support in 166. Offering a comprehensive package of communication services covering cloud computing, enterprise mobility, M2M, security, unified communications, videoconferencing, and broadband, Orange Business Services delivers a best-in-class customer experience across a global landscape. Thousands of enterprise customers and 1.4 million mobile data users rely on an Orange Business Services international platform for communicating and conducting business. Orange Business Services is a four-time winner of Best Global Operator at the World Communication Awards. Learn more at www.orange-business.com
France Telecom-Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with 172,000 employees worldwide and sales of 45.3 billion euros in 2011. Orange is the Group’s single brand for Internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the company operates. France Telecom (NYSE:FTE, news, filings) is listed on Euronext Paris (compartment A) and on the New York Stock Exchange.
Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trade marks of Orange Brand Services Limited, Orange France or France Telecom.
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