With the celebration of the eighth World IoT Day, established in 2010 by the IoT Council, it’s hard to ignore the impact smart cities are already having in the telecommunications world.
According to a forecasting study released by the International Data Corporation (IDC), worldwide spending on smart city enablement technology will reach $80 billion in 2018. The definition of smart cities, per the IDC, happens when multiple smart initiatives are coordinated to leverage technology investments across an entire city, use common platforms to decrease service time/maintenance costs, share data across systems, and tie IT investments to smart missions, reported IoT Evolution World.
Many countries have announced smart cities projects over the past year, including Canada, with 72 smart city initiatives planned, according to Amarjeet Sohi, Canadian Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and Jenny Gerbasi, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). One initiative, launched by the City of Stratford, Ontario is a “smart parking initiative” pilot to track the use of municipal parking spaces via sensors embedded in the asphalt.
Cities in the U.S. are also gearing up to become “smarter.” Five cities won the 2018 Readiness Challenge Grants from the Smart Cities Council, including Birmingham, AL; Cary, NC; Las Vegas, NV; Louisville/Jefferson County, KY; and the Commonwealth of Virginia, reported IoT Evolution World. Additionally, IDC Government Insights named 27 finalists in its inaugural Smart Cities North America Awards (SCNAA) – a mix of communities, including cities and states – recognizing the progress North American communities have made in executing smart cities projects.
April 10, 2018
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