The joint initiative will include both third- and fourth-year design project students from the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering at the University of Pretoria. The students have been provided with assignments that specifically incorporate smart wireless machine-to-machine technology and will be required to design, develop and build their project assignments from start to finish.

Vodacom Business provides the university with an APN in order to provide the students’ applications with GSM/GPRS/EDGE- and 3G-connectivity, as well as support for the project students in their M2M-development.

Sierra Wireless and its partners supply the relevant hardware, software and support. Sierra Wireless has also conducted a two-week Open AT®Developer course for students and lecturers, which provides hands-on experience in designing and developing Open AT® applications.

“We believe that this is a great step in the transformation of our curriculum and in enhancing the international comparative and competitive edge of our graduates,” Prof Sunil Maharaj, Acting Head of the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, said.

“We are proud to facilitate the skills development of learners and young graduates to adequately prepare them for a future in ICT and related business areas,” Mr Dominique Friedl, the Country Manager of Sierra Wireless added.

Vodacom Business and Sierra Wireless handed the M2M-technology over to the University of Pretoria at a function in the CEFIM Auditorium on the Main Campus of the University of Pretoria on Thursday 6 August 2009.