Telecom network operator Vodafone announced its Internet of Things (IoT) managed connectivity partnership with Philips Lighting.

Under the IoT deal, Vodafone and Philips Lighting will enable city authorities to deploy connected street lighting systems which will be connected wirelessly, saving energy.

Bill Bien, head of Strategy and Marketing, at Philips Lighting, said: “Just less than 12 percent of the world’s street lights are LED and less than 2 percent are connected.”

Philips CityTouch street lighting management system will utilize Vodafone’s machine-to-machine (M2M) network to connect light points. Connected street lamp will contain a Vodafone M2M SIM. City authorities can monitor and manage lighting through the Philips CityTouch system, while engineers will be able to check performance, identify faults and control the lighting remotely.

The joint offering allows city authorities to create an infrastructure to support smart city applications in future, said Philips Lighting.

Erik Brenneis, Vodafone M2M Director, said: “Our agreement with Philips will see this technology transforming cities across the world backed by Vodafone’s world-leading innovation, technologies and networks.”