Intelligent solutions for everyday use

08-31-2018 Sabine Schmidt

• The smart Combi Protect GPS tracker locates dogs and valuables
• Connected vehicles – CarConnect is kitting out cars with internet access
• Easier and intelligent parking throughout Germany with Park and Joy
• Magenta SmartHome reassures users that everything at home is safe and sound

Our everyday lives are becoming increasingly digital. Connected products make our leisure time more convenient, our lives safer, and our day-to-day work more efficient.

At IFA, Deutsche Telekom will be showcasing smart consumer solutions based on the Internet of Things (IoT) under the banner of Magenta Connected Life. They connect online users with everything that is important to them such as their dog, car or home.

Combi Protect – tracking and tracing canine runaways

It’s always a moment of great panic when you lose your dog, handbag or suitcase. Deutsche Telekom is now providing quick and easy reassurance in these situations with Combi Protect. Thanks to this GPS tracker and its matching app, it is possible to pinpoint the location of pets or luggage on a smartphone. If they wish, Deutsche Telekom customers can track movements in real time. But to make sure nothing gets lost in the first place, app users can set a safe zone by placing a digital fence around their garden, for instance. As long as their furry friend or suitcase stays within this zone, everything is fine. But should it step outside the boundaries, the tracker ensures the smartphone automatically alerts the owner, thereby enabling them to take immediate action.

A Smart Connect S plan is required for customer wishing to use the Combi Protect tracker. This plan is available to both new and existing customers for 4.95 euros per month and features a minimum subscription period of six months. The tracker can be purchased for the one-off price of one euro as of September 10.

Clever cars thanks to CarConnect

The CarConnect adapter from Deutsche Telekom and its matching smartphone app transform cars manufactured in 2006 or later into connected vehicles. To do so, the adapter is plugged into the car’s on-board diagnostics (OBD-II) port. CarConnect analyzes the vehicle’s data such as battery charge level and error codes, notifies the user if it is stolen or is being jostled, and allows them to see their vehicle’s location in real time. Customers can access Deutsche Telekom’s LTE network by placing their SIM card into the CarConnect adapter, which functions as a Wi-Fi hotspot and thereby enables drivers to surf and stream on the go. The adapter can connect up to five devices to the internet at the same time.

To use the adapter, customers must take out the CarConnect plan priced from 9.95 euros, which offers 10 GB of data across the EU including Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The CarConnect adapter itself costs a one-off charge of 39.95 euros.

Deutsche Telekom will be showcasing two new applications for the CarConnect adapter at IFA. For example, from the start of October, users will be able to get in touch with the ADAC automobile association with just a few clicks if they get a flat tire or have an accident, with CarConnect automatically sending their current location. And from the end of 2018, customers will be able to control Magenta SmartHome from their vehicle via the CarConnect app, automatically activating specific settings as they arrive or set off in their car, thereby making sure their home is just the way they want it.

Park and Joy soon available in 28 cities

Tracking down an empty parking space in the city center is never easy, meaning drivers are all the more delighted when they find a spot quickly. The Park and Joy app from Deutsche Telekom shows users available parking spaces in their chosen area and navigates them directly to the spot. What’s more, drivers can pay for parking charges via the smartphone app in just two clicks. Park and Joy can already be used in Hamburg and Bonn. By the end of 2018, however, 28 cities will benefit from smartphone-assisted parking, with further cities already showing interest.

This new app enables drivers to reserve their parking spot for the exact number of minutes they need and subsequently shorten or lengthen that time – without needing to return to their car. Park and Joy is available for iOS and Android from the App Store or Google Play. Basic plan users pay a service fee of 19 cents each time they park, with Comfort plan customers charged a fixed rate of 1.99 euros per month. The parking fee charged by the city is payable on top. For more information visit www.parkandjoy.com

Magenta SmartHome makes smart living easier and safer

Besides saving energy and making life more comfortable, smart home devices can also deter intruders and make your home safer in other ways. The Sense water sensor from Grohe, for example, alerts homeowners before a water leak causes serious damage – even if they’re out and about.

The SoundTouch music system from BOSE can now be connected to Magenta SmartHome, too. In addition to enjoying excellent sound quality within their own four walls, homeowners can set the system’s loudspeakers to play noises while they’re away. Together with other smart devices, the system therefore gives the impression that someone is home. If Magenta SmartHome sets off an alarm indoors, these connected speakers double up as a loud siren.

Deutsche Telekom has adopted a selection of devices from both new partners into its own range. The water sensor from Grohe, for instance, will be available from www.smarthome.de from October. More than 120 devices are already available on Deutsche Telekom’s SmartHome portal. The SoundTouch 10, 20 and 30 loudspeakers from BOSE can be purchased in Telekom shops.

Long-standing partners eQ-3 and Miele are also expanding the Magenta SmartHome portfolio with other new devices. Over 300 appliances from various manufacturers are already compatible with the Qivicon platform and can be controlled using Magenta SmartHome. New devices are automatically recognized, which makes incorporating them into smart homes even easier.

Devices are becoming increasingly user-friendly for homeowners, too. In the future, the Smart Speaker from Deutsche Telekom will see smart homes obey every command, with homeowners able to control the lighting and temperature throughout the house with voice control. The Smart Speaker can also switch on any combination of electrical appliances. A single command is all it takes and this smart loudspeaker can change the whole atmosphere in the house.

Visit Deutsche Telekom’s booth in hall 21a at the IFA trade show in Berlin from August 31 until September 5 to experience our products and services live. Deutsche Telekom’s entire presence at the trade fair is carbon-neutral – all CO2 emissions generated in setting up and operating the booth are fully offset by carbon-reduction projects abroad.