Smart cities inherently rely upon secure, robust, reliable communications networks. Several technologies will play a crucial role in facilitating communication and data exchange. Cellular, and in particular 5G, is expected to be crucial to tomorrow’s smart city applications. Offering high-speed, low-latency connectivity, 5G enables faster data transmission and realtime communication, which is vital for enabling smart transportation and remote healthcare. Additionally, smart cities combine myriad use
cases, all competing for speed and bandwidth – where again, 5G can deliver.
“Many of these use cases require realtime data communication, as well, so you’re creating a scenario where you need powerful, reliable connectivity,” says Cohen. “5G cellular connectivity is going to be paramount in supporting smart cities because of its high speed, massive bandwidth, throughput, and
low latency. Layered on top of this is the ability to create private mobile networking with 5G. With private networking, smart cities leverage a dedicated network, which offers more reliability, dedicated bandwidth to the specific application, and greater control.”
Overhauling infrastructure is essential to bringing smart cities to life: “key to this is 5G,
offering ultra-fast, low-latency connectivity that can support a wide range of smart city applications, such as autonomous vehicles, real-time data analytics and remote healthcare services, and crucially can be retrofitted in cities much more easily than fibre infrastructure. Outside of the cities, satellite broadband has a vital role to play providing access to support smart city initiatives in remote or underserved areas,” says Dominic Smith, marketing director, Cerillion.
Cerillion plc (LON:CER) is a leading provider of billing, charging and customer management systems with more than 20 years’ experience delivering its solutions across a broad range of industries including the telecommunications, finance, utilities and transportation sectors.
