The advent of 5G (Fifth generation) technology is expected to propel smart city technology into the mainstream and accelerate new deployments through the internet of things.
The internet of things (IoT) describes physical objects with sensors, processing ability, software and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the internet or other communication networks. In a presentation at the Zimbabwe Smart Cities and Rural Communities Infrastructure Forum 2022, Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) Economics, Tariffs and Consumer Affairs director, Mrs Hilda Mutseyekwa said the first building block of any smart city was reliable, pervasive wireless connectivity.
Figtree in Bulilima district, Matabeleland South, has been identified as one of three places in the country to be transformed into a digital and green energy smart city.
Announcing the plan in Bulawayo this week National Housing and Social Amenities minister Daniel Garwe said: “The Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities has endeavoured to move with time and adopt strategies that conform to the dictates of the digitalised world and globalisation.
Read more: ZW: Matabeleland: Bulilima: Govt mulls creation of Smart cities
A farm near Norton town in Chegutu area is being subdivided ahead of the planned establishment a “smart city” with a 105MW solar plant, 3 500 residential stands and 29 institutions including primary and secondary schools.
All the houses to be built will have solar panels on the roof to aid electricity generation from the settlement into the national grid during daylight hours and to give the houses stored back-up at night and when power is down.
The adoption of the ‘Smart City” concept in Zimbabwe is expected to generate the much-needed investments that will boost economic growth towards the targeted upper middle-income status by 2030.
This emerged during the one-day Zimbabwe Smart Cities and Rural Communities Infrastructure Forum in Bulawayo on Tuesday where experts pointed out that smart city modelling was a global phenomenon and Zimbabwe should not be left behind.
Read more: Smart City modelling to boost Zim investment drive
The Government is revisiting the rollout of the national digital transmission network to ensure that citizens have access to timeous and appropriate information as part of efforts to stave off hostile foreign propaganda.
Last year in April, the country switched over from the analogue signal to digital terrestrial television (DTT) under the US$125 million Zimbabwe Digital Broadcasting Migration project.