Deutsche Telekom’s smart home solution is broadening its reach in Norway after partnering with a company to distribute it through 15 energy companies.
The German operator’s home hub, which first launched in Norway last year, allows consumers to control a range of smart devices from the likes of Sonos, Philips and Miele. In total, the platform supports more than 250 different devices.
Hitch is distributing an adapted version of the platform for the Norwegian market after signing an exclusivity deal with Deutsche Telekom. As well selling the platform through Norway’s energy sector, consumers will be able to buy it directly from them.
[Read more: Deutsche Telekom rolls out free smart home service to broadband customers]
Hitch CEO Espen Hansen said: “It is a great opportunity for Hitch and our partners to enter into new business areas connected to energy use and home automation. Deutsche Telekom has an established Smart Home solution that we are adapting to our Norwegian customers.”
The company claimed that while a lot of Norwegian homes have smart home technology, they do not have the means to control them fully and as easily as they could be.
Hansen added: “We believe this is the right time to enter the market. Norwegians are starting to become used to products like these, and there is an increasing number of businesses operating within the Smart Home sphere, but no market leader.
“The global players – Apple Homekit, Google Home and Amazon Alexa – lack national adaptation. Our benefit is that we use an open platform that implies that we do not have to go head to head with our competitors, we will include them.”
Hitch has a customer base of around 150,000 homes via the country’s 15 power providers.