The Virginia Smart Community Testbed launched an energy efficient, broadband connectivity smart pole as a new pilot project for smart community solutions. The first phase installation, which includes the BrightSites Smart Pole and Broadband Luminaires by Signify, was completed on April 23, 2022, and is located on the Stafford County Government Center campus.
BrightSites Smart Poles and Broadband Luminaires, have collaborated for the purpose of allowing communities to quickly rollout a next generation Smart City connectivity grid using intelligent lighting with gigabit technology, streamlined broadband fiber, and wireless technologies to demonstrate how cities can quickly expand public access to the Internet and improve public services and safety.
“Stafford is proud to be the home of the Testbed for the Commonwealth and to be the host for this exciting Pilot Project,” said John Holden, Director of Economic Development and Tourism for Stafford County.
The pilot project was selected by the Virginia Smart Community Testbed and Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation to test innovative approaches to energy efficiency, while extending broadband solutions. The project showcases how to deploy broadband in urban, suburban and rural regions of the county and the state of Virginia. The project expands public access to the internet and provides a platform to improve public services and safety. This smart community solution also simultaneously supports IoT applications such as cameras, environmental sensors, intelligent lighting, and traffic congestion monitors.
“We’re honored to be part of this historic evolution and have the Testbed as our first deployment of Broadband Luminaires in North America,” stated Malik Ishak, Director, Smart City Connectivity at Signify North America. “Our solution provides scalable gigabit speed connectivity in an aesthetic manner through existing lighting grids which both extend and complement physical fiber wirelessly in the last mile of cities for broadband and IOT.”
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