The IoT is evolving. In the beginning, it affected each sector separately; the absence of industry-wide cooperation and limited connectivity restricted the capabilities of IoT solutions in each vertical. But we are now entering a new phase in the IoT where widespread connectivity and shared data is helping to deliver more intelligent, cost-effective products and services.
Collectively, these developments are creating a new urban environment where everything and anything is connected: the smart city. Smart city initiatives are cropping up all over the globe and are rapidly gaining support from policymakers and IoT ecosystem players who are keen to improve city life.
Just yesterday, Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnball, announced his support for a smart city scheme which could see A$100m worth of investment each year. This move, which is understood by some to be part of his re-election campaign, is thought to appeal to both businesses and consumers alike. In the United States., the state of Colorado was just awarded a US$50m federal grant to develop intelligent transport systems in order to ease congestion.
This global trend towards the creation of smart cities is a realisation of how the IoT can improve many aspects of urban life, of which congestion is just one. Waste management, crowd management, utilities, commerce and environmental conservation are all areas that could benefit from integrated smart city solutions that communicate with each other.
The allocation of government funding to smart city projects is sure to spur innovation, as will increasing cooperation amongst those in industry. One of the key players in any smart city initiative will be mobile network operators, whose long history of supplying secure and reliable connectivity is vital in ensuring that any smart city is greater than the sum of its parts.
Last week, the GSMA released a report on smart cities, outlining how they can accelerate the development smart cities by offering advanced secure networks, management platforms, a high quality of service and intrinsic knowledge of how to build a successful smart cities strategy. If cities engage with mobile operators early in their planning process, they will enjoy significant benefits arising from operators’ local presence and fully standardised networks.
Download the report: ‘Keys to the Smart City’