T-Mobile’s M2M provider Raco goes international with Sprint, Telefónica deals

Raco Wireless, the networking specialist that powers T-Mobile’s machine-to-machine business, is expanding its technology and coverage footprint both in the U.S. and abroad. At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona it announced deals Sprint and Telefónica to tap into their networks.

Raco is one of the players supplying the backend connectivity for the internet of things, linking everything from agricultural harvesters to ice machines to the cellular networks. While it’s worked exclusively with T-Mobile in the past, the deals expand its scope both to CDMA technologies and Telefónica’s extensive networks across Europe and Latin America.

According to Raco President John Horn, the two new deals, combined with a similar tie-up with U.K. operator Everything Everywhere, allow to Raco to go after the internet of things on an international scale. For instance, Raco could not serve shipping companies wanting to track their vehicles or containers as they cross borders, or appliance makers that want to avoid signing connectivity deals with a separate carrier in every new country.