Smart Cities Round Up - 14 JUNE 2024

Connectivity is increasingly the key to building equitable cities and communities around the world. Achieving it relies not just on robust technologies though but also robust partnerships. This week we shine a light on two examples of collaborative working in radically different parts of the world but which both help to promote digital inclusivity and ultimately create more sustainable and liveable communities.

We begin in the UK city of Sunderland where Airspan Networks Holdings, a provider of disruptive software and hardware for 5G networks, announced its continued collaboration with Boldyn Networks to support Sunderland city in its ongoing smart cities project.

In the initial phase of the smart cities project, Airspan’s expertise helped support Boldyn in deploying AirSpeed 1900 outdoor small cells. These small cells were discretely incorporated into existing street furniture providing high-performance, and high-capacity connectivity across Sunderland. Airspan reports key areas that benefited from the 5G private network include smart homes, digital skills, education as well as Industry 4.0. 

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, GLOBAL FIBER PERU has been working in partnership with Nokia to deploy a new subaquatic and future-proof optical, IP and fibre broadband network in the Amazon rainforest. The extensive network connects more than 400 communities to multi-gigabit broadband access.  

Buried in the Amazon River, the new subaquatic network interconnects 500,000 users across 400 communities located in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, in an area known as the three-border region, where Peru, Colombia and Brazil share borders.

The Nokia subaquatic optical backbone connects the localities of Iquitos and Santa Rosa de Yaraví (Peru), Leticia (Colombia) and Tabatinga (Brazil), allowing Global Fibre Peru to offer the first FTTH (fibre-to-the-home) broadband access service in the region, as well as multi-gigabit services for enterprise users.

The daily lives of those living in these communities may be vastly different but, in both cases, collaborative working has brought a raft of social, economic, industrial, educational and other benefits. The smart cities sector continues to rely on the spirit of collaboration and its power to make a difference to people’s lives – wherever they live in the world – should not be underestimated.

Sue Weekes , News editor, SmartCitiesWorld

Here is a round up of our other News this week:

1. Companies team to advance smart city applications in Qatar
2. ST Engineering launches data-driven smart water solution
3. Industry bodies expand digital twin partnership
4. Chicago expands free park wifi for students and families
5. Nissan commences autonomous driving trials in Yokohama
6. Smart grid growth to benefit utilities and customers
7. High-speed fibre network deployed in Amazon rainforest
8. Report reveals drop in zero emission buses in Canadian fleets
9. Digital interface speeds up switch to low carbon energy
10. Uber partners to accelerate electrification in Mena
11. Department of Energy defines a zero emissions building
12. Rio de Janeiro partners with C40 to decarbonise road freight
13. Growing diversity of riders take to Sydney’s bike routes
14. UK council installs pop-up solar car park and EV charging hub
15. Iteris partners to bring pedestrian sensor solution to the US
16. Collaboration for private 5G smart-city project in Sunderland
17. Itron announces first channel partner in Italy
18. €1m awarded for data-driven climate projects in Greece

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