SIGFOX hooks up with Atari to plot mass market IoT devices

• SIGFOX teams up with Atari
• Building out its global LPWAN network with big push into US
• Atari plans new generation of IoT enabled, interactive devices 

Low Powered Wide Area Network (LPWAN) provider, SIGFOX, has announced ground-breaking tie-up with Atari which might see the French IoT specialist provide connectivity on a global basis for a new generation of Atari-branded connected devices, the companies say.

SIGFOX was an early mover in the NB-IoT field and its use of proprietary technology has seen it get its radios out into the field ahead of many of its rivals, especially in home territory France where it has deployed 1200 base stations. So far it has raised more than $150 million in funding and has further network presence in another 18 countries with 7 million devices now under management.

Earlier this month SIGFOX announced that  it was making a big push into the U.S. market where it would be taking its services into 100 cities via a partnerships with cell tower site owners. The Atari deal has followed swiftly on from that announcement with the companies talking about a new product line of connected devices, using Atari’s “iconic brand” to target the mass market and charity organizations.

“The cooperation will bring together Atari’s brand and creative power with SIGFOX’s unique value proposition: connecting the physical world to the Internet through a simple, reliable, low-cost, energy-efficient solution,” according to the press release.

The partners are not giving away much detail at this stage, but promising to share more ‘soon’:  “The collaboration will cover a wide range of new Atari products, from the very simple to the highly sophisticated, providing customers with an easy way to know at any time where the devices are and what their status is. The initial product line will include categories such as home, pets, lifestyle and safety. By connecting to SIGFOX’s global network, the products will benefit from its competitive advantages: a very long battery life and a simple solution that does not require local Internet connectivity and pairing. As soon as the battery is inserted in the object, it is immediately connected to the network.”

The SIGFOX IoT network obviously won’t provide the sort of  broadband connection that enables interactive multi-player games, for instance, but could nevertheless use some  low-cost cleverness to enhance the player experience, such as sending and returning codes to register players or to move themup levels in a game (for instance). The companies mention the ability to return device status and location.

We’ve been expecting to surface for the past couple of years now. Perhaps it’s the first of many.