Accenture joins Weightless SIG to support global long range M2M connected products initiatives

(Cambridge, UK. September 25, 2013) – The Weightless Special Interest Group (SIG) today announced that Accenture, the global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing  company, has joined its Board of Directors as Weightless’s latest Promoter Group Member.

Accenture will bring extensive experience to bear on the critical system integration element of machine-to-machine (M2M) deployments, as well as providing strategy consultation for those enterprises looking for the solutions most appropriate for them. With global breadth and depth across more than 40 industries and hundreds of offerings addressing key business and technology issues, Accenture’s scale and expertise are said by Weightless to offer a “strategic fit for the rapidly expanding Weightless global movement”. Accenture has more than a quarter of a million employees across 120 countries, and brings a strategic understanding of the key industries that Weightless is being deployed in now, and those that will be targeted in the future.

Professor William Webb, CEO of the Weightless SIG, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Accenture to the Weightless SIG and Aidan Quilligan to the Weightless board,” adding, “Accenture’s deep industry knowledge and technology capabilities, unmatched depth and breadth of services, their reputation and global reach make them the perfect complement to the existing board, and will bring world class strategic experience to the SIG as we continue to roll out our proposition.”

Aidan Quilligan, managing director of Global Mobility Delivery for Accenture Mobility, commented: “Connected Products are a key element of Accenture Mobility’s vision for clients in every industry, so we are very excited to be a part of Weightless, which could be a truly enabling technology for machine-to-machine communication.” Quilligan continued, “We look forward to working with the board and other Weightless members to explore all the opportunities in this exciting space, and really help the vision of a ‘connected’ world become a reality.”

Weightless is a new wireless technology targeting machine communications (M2M) applications. Built on a cellular architecture, Weightless claims to be the only data pipe of its kind that has been specifically optimised for global, long range, infrequent transmission of small data packets generated by M2M applications. Weightless is frequency-agnostic and can use white space radio spectrum available in the gaps between TV transmissions.

The Weightless SIG’s central mission is to co-ordinate industry players to foster the development of a new and revolutionary communications standard (called Weightless) to enable efficient machine-to-machine communications operating in TV white space and other spectrum bands.

A global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, Accenture employs approximately 266,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture helps clients to become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$27.9 billion for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2012.

Accenture Mobility plans, implements and manages mobility solutions for businesses and public organisations, including developing and implementing enterprise mobility strategies; incorporating applications and managed services; creating and delivering mCommerce solutions; and supplying credible, business ready Connected Product offerings. Accenture Mobility services are based on deep industry insights and technical expertise that helps clients across all industries achieve growth, efficiency and manage a successful transformation as they adopt the tools of a digital business.