3 Things I Learned About Smart Cities as an Intern

When I started at CommScope as an intern, I was amazed simply by the free popcorn and coffee. After taking full advantage, I realized this company had even more to offer. What has intrigued me most since I have been here is the concept of smart cities.

Our cities are becoming denser than ever before, especially as we become more reliant on our smart technology. There are 8.4 billion devices online today, and an additional 17 billion devices are expected by 2020. To make this growth sustainable, we need a modern solution, and we’ve found it – creating connections through smart cities.

In this post, I have broken down smart cities into the three most influential benefits that even an intern could understand.

1. Adaptability: Reducing the number of separate systems helps ensure a decrease in cost, complexity and disruption to a city. Since the framework uses sensors, networks and artificial intelligence, it is the most flexible, economical and adaptive way to expand supporting systems as the modern environment transforms.

You can think of it like Amazon’s Alexa for your entire city’s infrastructure; we might see private and public networks converge in the same trench or even the same conduit. This convergence makes equipment easy to manipulate and manage, without intricate complications when you inevitably expand and upgrade your Wi-Fi plan, and still secure on your own private network.

2. Efficiency: After combining systems and slashing the countless hours of labor spent constantly making lengthy improvements, this work will be replaced with the touch of a button. For example, traditional lighting methods in smart buildings would be replaced by low voltage solutions. These power networks of LED lights exponentially lower cost due to simpler installation, maintenance and operation. This alternative lighting method has shownenergy savings of 75 percent or more. The simplicity not only saves us energy and hassle, but also reduces costs by 33 percent over the life of the building. The added intelligence of sensors measuring occupancy, temperature, etc., allows these lights to deliver responsive, real-time adjustments to operate environmentally efficiently.

CLICK TO TWEET: The best three things to know about smart cities.

Obviously, the impact doesn’t stop when we step outside. Take parking tickets, for example. A high-definition camera connected to the cloud, for instance, can greatly improve efficiencies in this space. Officers can identify parking spaces, and allow customers to pay a fine through a license recognition and payment app.

3. Safety: We all know that feeling when we lose a call walking into a building or an elevator. It’s an annoyance we live with. But what about when there is a fire in the basement or a child trapped in an elevator? With our wireless solutions connected all around us, like in a smart city, a basement will be just as dependable as the penthouse - critical when seconds count in an emergency.

Smart technology will also provide proactive solutions. Environmental hazards and potential unsafe conditions will be spotted quicker with more reliable, high-def surveillance cameras that can notify surrounding and at-risk personnel in an emergency.

No longer can we solve traffic by creating more lanes. We must rethink traditional solutions, and explore, fulfill, and imagine new potential. Smart cities redefine possible. For more resources on smart cities, click here or download our eBook on Smart Building Connectivity.

Now that’s better than free popcorn, right?