At this week’s Smart Cities Connect Conference in Austin, five cities were added to the US Ignite’s Smart Gigabit Communities (SGC) program. For their commitment towards the adoption of next generation smart city technologies, Washington, DC is one of the five that joins an already existing gigabit community network of twelve cities. Together with municipalities, network carriers and other corporate partners, the SGC program works to develop smart gigabit applications in order to address local community needs. Smart city solution projects utilizing emerging gigabit technologies or platforms requiring high-speed connectivity will enhance community efforts in transportation, workforce development and public safety.
Washington, DC was chosen for its smart city initiatives in waste management, movement analytics and water quality sensing. By leveraging intelligent city infrastructure, including connected devices and data analytics, Washington is improving the quality of life for residents. The SGC program is funded in part by a three-year, $3 million National Science Foundation grant. Newly announced SGC cities will develop two gigabit applications addressing issues within their community. The SGC and its team of experts will provide insight and resources for smart city efforts focusing on accelerating growth in fiber applications via programmable fiber and wireless networks. Read full article here.