AT&T & Telefónica Extend Digital Life to Europe

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- AT&T is extending its Digital Life home automation and security system into Europe with partner Telefónica, as well as adding healthcare additions to the platform.

Telefónica SA (NYSE: TEF) started looking into the home automation and security space a couple of years ago, and signed a contract with AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T), which has launched its Digital Life service in multiple US markets, just under nine months ago. (See AT&T Launches Digital Life Service in 15 Markets, AT&T Continues Smart Home Push and AT&T Adds 6 More Digital Life Markets.)

The first Telefónica tests will be in Madrid or London, or a suburb of these cities, Telefónica's global managing director of digital home, Martin Harriman, told Light Reading at an AT&T event Monday evening.

Madrid had been the first choice, but the easier regulatory environment in the UK might win out. "Spanish security regulation is ball-achingly strict," Harriman tells us.

Want to know more about machine-to-machine (M2M) communications? Check out Light Reading's dedicated M2M services content channel.

AT&T, meanwhile, is adding healthcare aspects to its Digital Life platform in 2015.

The intention is to make it simple for families to care for elderly relatives at home, or allow older people to live alone easier.

The updates will include:

The operator is planning to start testing the new additions in Atlanta and Dallas soon.

— Dan Jones, Mobile Editor, Light Reading