Innovation partners

COGELEC and Objenious: An IoT SIM Card Fleet Doubled in Three Years

28 June 2024
Paris, March 25, 2024 – Objenious, Bouygues Telecom’s brand dedicated to IoT, has been collaborating for 8 years with COGELEC, a French leader in the Vigik® access control market and wireless intercom systems. With its 4G network offering and IoT expertise, Objenious supports COGELEC in meeting all the business needs. This is a review of the IoT collaboration and the upcoming objectives.

A Vendée-based group founded in 2000, COGELEC has become the leader in access control and wireless intercom through its brands Intratone, Rozoh, Kibolt, and Hexact[1]. Through Intratone, the COGELEC group was the first player in access control to have industrialized a solution based on GSM modules with cellular IoT SIM cards in France.

Before, installing intercom systems was a complex process that required extensive organization. Wires had to be laid through the building, and residents had to be present for the intercom connections. In 2016, COGELEC turned to Objenious to benefit from custom IoT offerings and bold connectivity services compared to traditional access control and intercom solutions.

“COGELEC was one of the first partners to challenge us by involving marginal and disruptive uses, with products that worked exclusively through mobile networks. As an operator, it was an opportunity to perfect our cellular IoT connectivity services such as 4G, and later to develop a complete offering,” explains Alann Dorion, IoT Sales Engineer at Objenious by Bouygues Telecom.

This collaboration and personalized support enabled COGELEC to double its fleet of Objenious IoT SIM cards between 2021 and 2024.

“Objenious has become a true growth partner that we regularly challenge, particularly from a technological standpoint. Thanks to this dynamic, we have been able to implement brand new projects tailored to the market and its needs,” says Laurent Caramelle, Associate Director at COGELEC.

“We are delighted to be collaborating with a recognized leader like COGELEC and to contribute to the expansion of their IoT fleet. This partnership demonstrates the ability of Objenious teams to adapt to customer demands, to advise them and support their growth in France and Europe in the long term,” emphasizes Bernardo Cabrera, Director of the Objenious by Bouygues Telecom BU.

Today, COGELEC’s products operate using the 2G/3G/4G networks, as well as LTE-M from Objenious in France and internationally through the operator’s roaming agreements in other countries. “Beyond Machine to Machine communication, we want to enable Machine to Human exchanges, and ensure that our solutions serve all citizens and professionals,” explains Laurent Caramelle, who also highlights the benefits of cellular IoT technology in intercom solutions:

“Thanks to IoT, no handsets, no major work, less material used and easier installation. This solution is a real time-saver, as it doesn’t need to be installed in each apartment. Interventions are quicker for installers and above all less intrusive for residents,” he specifies.

In the coming years, COGELEC and its brands aim to continue developing internationally and adapt their offerings to local specificities. By analyzing the usage patterns of each country, they intend to respond in a personalized manner to the various issues encountered, which can vary from one country to another. In the field of IoT, the challenge will also be to provide international support with appropriate roaming agreements or evolving products and services with the markets of the COGELEC group.

About COGELEC

COGELEC is the French leader in access control for collective housing. In 2007, COGELEC created the first comprehensive subscription-based wireless intercom offer under the brand Intratone. Based on an indirect distribution model associated with a very strong proximity relationship with social landlords and syndicates, COGELEC is present today in 6 countries in Europe, and the Intratone brand has over 2.1 million subscribed homes. The company represents 330 employees in France and internationally, 52 registered patents, and a turnover of 66 million euros in 2023. COGELEC is listed on Euronext Growth Paris and is part of the Growth AllShare, Tech Croissance, and PEA-PME 150 indices.

About Objenious

Objenious, a Bouygues Telecom brand dedicated to the internet of things, relies on its multi-technology panel including 4G, 5G, LTE-M, and NB-IoT to support the digital transformation of companies and communities. Objenious is the first player in France to offer all cellular IoT technologies. With a wide ecosystem of partners, Objenious experts offer solutions suited to all sectors of activity, from connected vehicles to the infrastructure of the communicative city, including intelligent buildings and video surveillance.

 

[1] Intratone (security and access control for collective buildings), Rozoh (security and access control in the tertiary sector), Kibolt (intelligent connected door lock and key solutions) and Hexact (secure access control solutions compliant with the Vigik® standard).