Bboxx and Aeris Communications Collaborate to Deliver Clean Energy to Millions of People
3 May 2017 — Bboxx, an innovative solar solutions company, and Aeris, a pioneer and leader in the Internet of Things (IoT), today announced they are collaborating to deliver clean energy to millions of people living in off-grid communities in the developing world.
Bboxx, a venture-backed company, will provide 20 million people with electricity by 2020. By satisfying the energy needs of individuals and families from home lighting to phone charging, the company helps the developing world to climb the “energy ladder.” With Bboxx products, customers gain the ability to access energy, even in off-grid or remote areas.
Bboxx designs, manufactures, distributes and finances innovative plug and play solar systems to improve access to energy across Africa and the developing world. Through a vast network of retail shops and outlets, Bboxx focuses on providing people access to electricity, while offering superior customer service. Its core products are a range of solar powered “battery boxes” that sit in an individual’s home and allows the user to power small appliances, from lights and mobile phones to refrigerators and computers.
The collaboration between Aeris and Bboxx ensures that Bboxx devices have reliable IoT connectivity no matter where in the world they are deployed; that they can be remotely monitored; and that the deployment time of products is expedited.
Aeris offers IoT network connectivity in East and Central Africa, the principal areas in which Bboxx deploys, ensuring that each device has reliable IoT connectivity, which enables the company to monitor its devices remotely. Aeris’ global support of major cellular technology standards, such as GSM, CDMA and LTE, also ensures that Bboxx will be able to deploy its devices across the world as it looks to expand globally.
Bboxx will install the Aeris global subscriber identity module (SIM) at the point of manufacture, reducing both supply-chain costs and deployment time. By utilizing Aeris’ single global access point name (APN), the Bboxx solar system can also be deployed anywhere in the world, even in the most remote locations on a simple plug-and-play basis, removing the necessity to configure local network settings.
By utilizing Aeris AerPort™, Aeris’ connectivity management platform for IoT devices, Bboxx is also able to have real-time access to data usage, alert management and device- connectivity management over the Aeris SIM life cycle.
Supporting Quotes
- Christopher Baker-Brian, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Bboxx
“By working together we can ensure that our solutions have optimum reliability and our customers can be sure their devices possess a reliable connection, at all times, no matter where in the world they are deployed. Aeris’ high-quality service and IoT expertise ensure that we can offer the best clean energy solutions to off-grid communities worldwide. Additionally, Aeris’ pricing structure enables us to pass these savings onto our customers, allowing us to be more competitive in our target markets. We are delighted to be working with the Aeris team, and by working collaboratively we will be able to deliver clean energy to millions of people.” - Mohsen Mohseninia, Vice President for Europe, Aeris
“Aeris’ ability to offer high-quality Internet of Things connectivity at the most optimized total cost of ownership ensures that Bboxx’s solar systems are operational and reliable no matter where in the world they are deployed. Aeris’ SIMs can also be installed at the point of manufacture, ensuring supply-chain costs are reduced and Bboxx solutions can be deployed without the need for time-consuming local network configuration. We look forward to helping Bboxx expand their capabilities and deliver clean energy to people throughout the world.”