Abhishek Sandhir, managing director, telecom – global at Sand Technologies, explains how the future of cities relies on connectivity, and looks at where to begin and how to prioritise in building better urban networks.
Telecoms technologies are transforming cities and communities by enabling connectivity, which is the foundation for so many critical services in our lives today. Whether it’s 4G, 5G, or fibre, the key is ensuring citizens are connected. When people are connected, they have better access to education, health, job opportunities, and even the ability to stay in touch with one another. Connectivity also underpins the various smart services a city can offer, but none of that is possible without reliable network infrastructure.
When we talk about smart cities, the definition can be broad (and somewhat dynamic), but from a telecoms perspective, it’s essential to think about the problems being solved. Are you addressing the needs of the telecom operator, the city administrator, or other stakeholders? Smart cities don’t belong to any single sector, they sit with city administrations. These administrations aim to leverage smarter infrastructure to integrate services and improve the quality of life for citizens. In that sense, a smart city isn’t just a concept or technology; it’s a practical use case for combining infrastructure, IoT sensors, and connectivity to deliver better outcomes.
Prioritising coverage to support smart city goals
Whether it’s 2G, 3G, or more advanced networks, the backbone of any smart city is connectivity. Many smart city applications don’t demand high bandwidth or cutting-edge 5G capabilities – they require coverage and reliability. Services like linking traffic cameras with traffic management systems or connecting water sensors with utilities rely on robust network coverage rather than speed.
Take IoT sensors, for example. Cities use these to monitor environmental changes, weather conditions, pollution levels, and more. For this to work, you need infrastructure that can capture and transmit data reliably to control centres. This is where telecom networks play a vital role.
In Europe, telco infrastructure is well-developed for smart city applications. It’s not about streaming video or high-bandwidth needs; it’s about ensuring the infrastructure can support services like traffic management, water utilities, and public safety systems. Older networks like 2G or 3G can handle these use cases effectively, provided there’s adequate coverage.
By prioritising network coverage across city infrastructure, smart city projects can be undertaken in cities of all tiers, whether in developed or developing markets. In developed countries, much of the infrastructure is already in place, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t significant gaps to address. The digital divide isn’t limited to developing nations; it exists everywhere, whether it’s about bridging connectivity gaps or ensuring equitable access to services.
Take healthcare as an example. In Rwanda, Sand Technologies has worked with the government to plan improved network coverage across the country using digital twin technology, plotting where new infrastructure, plus changes to existing infrastructure, is required to enable 100 per cent connectivity across the nation. In turn, this improved network is being used to bolster healthcare access by identifying optimal locations for new health clinics and ensuring these clinics are connected to transmit data back to the health ministry.
Meanwhile, in rural parts of Arkansas in the United States – a highly developed country – there are still significant healthcare access gaps. Decision-makers there are looking at projects like the one in Rwanda for inspiration, asking how they can use similar methodologies and technologies to address their own challenges.
Beyond building out infrastructure in developing markets, optimisation in developed urban areas is also crucial. In cities like London or New York, where infrastructure is highly developed, the focus shifts to how to optimise existing networks to handle changes in the built environment or transitions in technology. For example, as cities move from 4G to 5G, there’s a need for more towers, better line of sight, and solutions to account for new structures that may impact coverage.
Networks that work for cities
Establishing networks that meet city needs and adhere to regulations involves balancing technical, regulatory, and operational challenges.
Getting the approach right begins with principles-first thinking – starting with the basics and building from there. In many parts of the developing world, when cities are planned or urban centres are redesigned, there’s already a forward-thinking approach to linking services.
Planners are focused on the infrastructure required to collect data and are deliberately placing sensors in strategic locations to facilitate this. This kind of planning is becoming more common, but whether you’re looking at the developing or developed world, there’s still a significant amount of work required to build out robust smart city networks.
One of the key challenges cities face is how they approach technology adoption from the outset. Many rely on off-the-shelf solutions, buying individual tools or applications that solve specific problems. While this can deliver quick fixes, it often leads to fragmented systems that are difficult to scale or maintain over time. Cities can end up with systems cobbled together from multiple vendors which are less interoperable, where updates to one component can disrupt the entire setup.
To get connectivity right, at the scale required in cities, it pays to find technology collaborators, where the approach is consultative first. A true technology partner wants to understand a city’s challenges and goals, rather than pushing a pre-packaged solution. It’s about understanding what problem the city wants to solve and then working collaboratively to develop a bespoke solution.
Stay flexible and use what you have
This process starts with understanding the data a city already has. Often, there’s untapped value in existing data that can yield quick wins – insights or efficiencies that can justify investments and build confidence. For example, we look at how we can integrate existing systems, streamline data pipelines, and apply machine learning models to generate actionable recommendations on how to build or enhance networks. It’s not about ripping and replacing current infrastructure; it’s about leveraging what’s already there and building on it incrementally.
The power of the data that cities have is undeniable, but simply collecting it isn’t enough. The real value comes from understanding the domain you’re working in and applying effective tools, like AI models, to interpret that data. This enables smarter decision-making and ensures those decisions are both cost-effective and impactful.
The reality is that most data we generate today just sits idle – it’s not being tapped into effectively. When people say “data is the new oil” it’s true, but only when it’s actually used. That’s the challenge Sand Technologies is addressing: how to leverage this vast amount of data cities have to deliver meaningful outcomes. There is no single, perfect solution – something cities have really understood in the last decade or so. Progress happens incrementally, by chipping away at challenges and refining processes over time. It’s important to stay realistic and persistent.
It’s in this way that cities have reached the stage they’re at now, where connectivity has levelled-up services and operations even where budgets and resource have become more difficult to come by.
How things grow and build from here is in the hands of cities, and relies on them collaborating with the right people, at the right time, for the right reasons, using technology that is fit for purpose.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Abhishek Sandhir
Quelle/Source: Smart Cities World, 13.02.2025
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