City leaders say they are “honoured” after Sunderland has been nominated as one of just three finalists for the World Smart City Awards 2025.
Sunderland has been nominated out of 462 entries from 65 countries and now goes up against Saudi Arabia and Luxembourg in the Enabling Technologies category.
The competition looks at how places use innovation and technology to create new opportunities for residents, businesses and visitors.
One of the first city’s in the country to harness the power of 5G connectivity, Sunderland has been at the heart of a number of pioneering projects.
This includes investing in a trial of an autonomous shuttle bus and fitting over 6,500 homes with technologies to help keep vulnerable and elderly people safe.
Sunderland has also introduced a city-wide digital inclusion network and established 30 digital hubs in the heart of communities serving over 500,000 people to date.
Over 300,000 users access the free Sunderland wi-fi each month and full fibre access has increased by 110% over the last four years, benefiting both families and businesses.
Following the city’s nomination, Sunderland City Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Equalities, Councillor Alison Smith said: “It’s an honour that internationally we’ve been recognised for all the work making these connections with this Smart City award nomination.
“Every day, all of us, and we might not always have been aware of it, will have used goods or services that are digital or digitally enabled – whether it’s on our smartphone, at home or work, school or college, getting to work, and in our leisure or downtime.
“We recognise as a council how important it is to have the networks and technology for these digital connections and it has always been a key part of our City Plan to have a digitally smart Sunderland.
“As we increase our digital connectivity we’re making sure nobody is left behind with a city-wide digital inclusion network.
“This is alongside increasing full-fibre broadband access by 110 per cent over the last four years for the benefit of both residents and businesses.
“Our digital connectivity is moving the city forward and seeing it run more smoothly and seamlessly for all. By doing this we create a better quality of life for residents and we increase and attract opportunities for investment and wealth creation.”
The winners of each category are set to be announced on November 5 at the World Smart City Awards in Barcelona.
Sunderland City Council CEO Patrick Melia OBE said: “It’s fantastic to reflect on how far Sunderland as a Smart City has come, whilst looking forward and contemplating our plans to innovate and push technological advancements further. Sunderland is setting a new standard for urban transformation, moving at a pace that is attracting global attention.”
---
Autor(en)/Author(s): Neil Fatkin
Dieser Artikel ist neu veröffentlicht von / This article is republished from: Sunderland Echo, 14.10.2025
Bitte besuchen Sie/Please visit:
