As Smart Cities evolve, new connectivity solutions are increasingly contributing to enhancing quality of life and unlocking economic gains. Innovative services are being rolled out that positively affect everything from traffic and healthcare to sustainability, citizens’ participation, social cohesion and quality of living, whilst also helping attract new businesses and boosting economic growth. These services are built on an underlying infrastructure, consisting of Internet of Things-connected sensors connected by fiber extending deep into the network. This plays a crucial role as the backhaul network for connected and wireless networking.
Reichle & De-Massari (R&M), the globally active Swiss developer and provider of cabling systems for high-quality network infrastructures, based in Wetzikon, is developing a number of Smart City projects around the world. This is resulting in a unique, integrated and flexible offering of products and services. “Infrastructures for smart cities require a well thought-out, highly flexible approach to architecture and a capacity for data traffic that will continue to develop dynamically for decades to come,” says R&M CMO Andreas Rüsseler. “We need to ensure there are no longer any bottlenecks between workstations, smartphones, cellular phone antennae, data centers, the Cloud, the Internet of Things, WLAN, intelligent houses, networked cars and machines. This is the only way for smart cities to function successfully.”
According to research by Deloitte, “carriers will be unable to support the projected four-fold increases in mobile data traffic between 2016 and 2021” without additional fiber network infrastructure deployments that reach deeper into metropolitan centers.
“For policymakers, municipal stakeholders and governments, it is essential that broadband networks are in place that can support a vast web of sensors, a wide and changing variety of applications, and a layer of ubiquitous wireless connectivity. As investments in blanket development will only pay off in the long term. Planners and network operators should therefore opt for long-lasting, high-quality products. Fiber optic cables should not need to be replaced after a few years just because they were inadequately specified to begin with.”
“In the near future, cities may well be the main driver for digitalisation of society in a broader sense. The requirements of Smart Cities – essentially digital hubs – are very different to those in sectors such as telecom. Fortunately, we have built up considerable experience in developing and customizing products according to the needs of customers, ensuring they are ready to be installed without hassle or delays. Our experience in areas from ceiling and façade deployments to data center infrastructure and close cooperation with learning institutions and governments all come in handy.”
R&M has recently already been selected as partner for smart, safe, sustainable and environmentally friendly Smart City projects in Egypt, India and Brazil. Design and objectives vary from project to project, as requirements and offerings are different. As a pioneer in customizing products as per the requirement of the customer R&M is the right partner for providing infrastructure and advice.