The OpenMTC vision

Today’s communication networks such as the mobile operator networks have been designed and build to fit the needs of human communication. At the same time machine-to-machine (M2M) communication solutions have emerged that are available on the market today. However, such solutions are mostly monolithic infrastructures that do not interoperate. This has been identified as a major showstopper for open, customizable and ubiquitous M2M system deployments and operation. In addition, our experiments with state-of-the-art operator network architectures (like IMS) have shown that such do not suffice the needs and specific characteristics of large scale machine type communication scenarios. With maturing M2M standardization expected in 2012, the aim of the OpenMTC platform is to provide a standard compliant middleware platform for M2M oriented applications and services. While supporting application domain driven scenarios such as eHealth and Smart City services, OpenMTC will rely on advanced networking capabilities provided by our highly successful 3GPP Evolved Packet Core (EPC) implementation.

OpenMTC is a cooperative development of  Fraunhofer FOKUS and Technische Universität Berlin (TUB).

Research Institutions & Universities

can use OpenMTC for M2M communication research. For pure research and education oriented institutions we provide OpenMTC with special discounts to support application prototyping or the development of new protocols and communication mechanisms.

R&D departments of network operators

can use OpenMTC to prepare for the upcoming all-IP NGN and M2M world using an open and vendor independent testbed infrastructure. The OpenMTC platform has been designed as a middleware on the one hand to interoperate with standard core network solutions and on the other hand to provide APIs to integrate with state of the art SDPs.

M2M equipment manufacturers

can use OpenMTC to test their products in concert with a standard-aligned mobile broadband network environment for different application domains. Our open testbed concept allows for technical interface and interoperability testing as well as general M2M strategy alignment, specific studies, and product roadmap reviews.  

M2M application developers and providers

can use OpenMTC to certify that their applications work with the latest M2M network APIs and take advantage of the functional M2M capabilities offered by OpenMTC for a variety of application domains.

Network equipment vendors

can use OpenMTC as a standard-aligned M2M middleware platform that provides realistic M2M communication capabilities to test network equipment. Out testbeds provide prototypes for end-to-end communication in M2M systems including various sensors and applications covering large parts of the M2M value chain.