NEWS
More than just ‘ smart ’, cities must be ‘ future-ready ’
Most have not lived up to the hype . Promised improvements in public services , economic development and citizens ’ lives remain largely theoretical . Combined with this , the acceleration in catastrophic weather events , natural disasters and global health emergencies means that cities don ’ t just need to be smart , but also ‘ future-ready ’. In other words , they must build the foundations for both prosperity and resilience in the face of predictable and unpredictable challenges and adapt to fastchanging social and economic situations .
Based on the findings of a recent survey of over 200 city officials across six regions globally , conducted by ThoughtLab and cosponsored by Cognizant , the study , Beyond Smart Cities – to Future- Ready Cities , identifies six key imperatives officials need to consider as they work towards improving citizens lives and creating resilient cities of the future :
Cities around the world have long been experimenting with technology to become ‘ smart ’ through initiatives such as using sensors to improve traffic management and applying AI solutions to increase energy efficiency – with varying degrees of success .
• Develop three-point ecosystems to support and execute the future-ready city vision – these ecosystems span three key groups : local governments , infrastructure providers ( telcos ) and integrators ( tech partners )
• Design ecosystems with the right dynamics
• Create individual solutions with a shared foundation in mind
• Embolden tech choices , supported by ecosystem partners
• Share data by default
• Take privacy concerns to heart
Converge ICT chooses Epsilon to connect its customers to global Internet Exchanges
Epsilon Telecommunications ( Epsilon ), a global interconnectivity provider , has been chosen by leading fibre broadband provider , Converge ICT Solutions , to enhance its network infrastructure and connectivity services . Epsilon will extend Converge ’ s global reach by expanding its peering footprint through global Internet Exchanges ( IXs ).
Epsilon ’ s Remote Peering solution provides Converge with access to its large ecosystem of global Internet Exchange partners . Converge can connect its customers to multiple IXs in a fast and cost-effective manner , without significant hardware and network costs . Converge is extending this service to its enterprise customers through its IX Express Service ( IXES ), providing them with a cost-effective connectivity solution .
“ We are excited that our partnership with Epsilon will not only help us extend our network ’ s global reach but also assist us in optimising our enterprise customers ’ user experience with committed data bandwidth , flexibility and scalability ,” said Jesus Romero , Chief Operating Officer at Converge ICT Solutions . “ By utilising Remote Peering , we can seamlessly connect customers closer to a location where content is shared and consumed , which leads to new opportunities for customers and their businesses .”
Converge will facilitate access to IXs like DE-CIX in Frankfurt , Germany and AMS-IX in Amsterdam , the Netherlands , using Epsilon ’ s Network-as-a-Service ( NaaS ) platform , Infiny . With Infiny , customers benefit from four powerful solutions via a single platform , including data centre interconnection , access to Internet exchanges , direct cloud connect and global inbound numbers . Epsilon ’ s MEFcertified network spans 280-plus data centres around the world with customisable bandwidth levels .
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