Rogers Communications and Axeda Corporation on Tuesday announced an alliance that will accelerate the deployment of machine-to-machine (M2M) solutions in Canada.  As of Thursday, businesses and developers across Canada will have access Axeda’s M2M Platform to build and roll-out enterprise M2M applications for connected products in Canada.

Taoglas USA, Inc, a provider of antennas for the M2M market, last week announced a new Near Field Communications (NFC) antenna and tag service for M2M devices. The FXT.01 NFC tag antenna and FXR.01 NFC reader antenna operate at 13.56MHz and provide a well-matched solution (50ohms) for NFC readers, says the company. 

Even as deployments of smart grid infrastructure have accelerated in recent years, the home energy management (HEM) market has struggled to gain traction. Numerous trials have led to only a few cases of industry deployments and to anemic rates of consumer adoption. According to Pike Research, that is starting to change, and over the remainder of the decade momentum will build in this nascent market.

Delta Products Corporation, a Delta Group company, has been awarded a $1.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), for the development and demonstration of a residential electric vehicle charging system with smart grid communication capabilities. The smart-charging system will allow utilities to reduce infrastructure costs and manage load during peak hours.

SkyWave Mobile Communications, a provider of wireless data communications for the Machine-to-Machine (M2M) market, last week announced the introduction of the new IDP-780 series of terminals with dual mode satellite-cellular capability.

On Monday, Spectrum Bridge, Inc., a developer of technology for vitalizing spectrum, announced a partnership with Neul, a mobile wireless data service provider, to expand the global deployment of TV White Spaces (TVWS) networks for machine-to-machine (M2M) communications.

Last week, Trimble, a provider of positioning services, introduced the Aardvark DR+GPS module that combines Dead Reckoning (DR) with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology on a single, compact board. The Trimble Aardvark DR+GPS module provides accurate positioning information when GPS signals are limited or not available, such as in urban canyons and tunnels.

AT&T Inc has held talks to buy smaller rival Leap Wireless International in recent months, according to people familiar with the matter, in the latest sign U.S. carriers are looking at acquisitions as a way to grow in a mature market.

Consumers in Europe will pay less for mobile phone calls, texts and Internet access when travelling abroad following a ruling on Thursday that could also prompt telecom companies to introduce cross-border deals to offset lost revenue.

LightSquared, the wireless startup backed by hedge fund manager Philip Falcone, on Monday filed for Chapter 11 protection. The company and many affiliates filed for protection from creditors with the U.S. bankruptcy court in Manhattan. It has more than $1 billion of both assets and liabilities, according to the bankruptcy petition. The filing was expected.