We live in an era of constant change, an era where accelerated urbanization and digital transformation are redefining urban life worldwide, an era in which more than 56% of the global population lives in cities, and it is estimated that by 2050 this figure will exceed 70%.
This scenario demands facing complex urban challenges, such as sustainability, public service efficiency, mobility, and social inclusion.
But how should we begin this approach effectively?
Several experts agree that there are three basic key actions: Integration of Advanced Technologies, Collaborative Governance, and Interoperability of Information Systems.
Smart cities are evolving; they are becoming living entities that need to create an ecosystem, a network among themselves that represents an evolution of the traditional Smart Cities paradigm.
It is no longer just about isolated cities implementing technology, but about urban systems that collaborate, share data, standards, and solutions to achieve mutual benefits from their technological and administrative integrations. This, among other advantages, allows:
- Synergies in the management and operation of infrastructure (transport, energy, water, waste).
- Interoperability of public services and digital platforms.
- Collaboration on sustainability and climate resilience policies.
- Coordinated response to emergencies and crises at all levels. Economies of scale in technological investment and innovation.
But how can we define an Interconnected Smart City?
From the perspective of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), an Interconnected Smart City should meet present and future needs across economic, social, environmental, and cultural domains, organizing its performance indicators into six dimensions: Information and Communication Technologies, Environmental Sustainability, Productivity, Quality of Life, Equality and Social Inclusion, and Physical Infrastructure.
Long story short: The creation of these networks enables addressing common challenges, optimizing resources, and scaling best practices at national and regional levels.
Before we continue, let me share relevant figures for Smart Cities worldwide:
- Market value: US$634 billion in 2024, projected to reach US$2.74 trillion by 2034, with a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 15.8%.
- Technology penetration: 63% of cities use IoT platforms; 52% invest in intelligent public safety; 49% use intelligent transport infrastructure; 58% prioritize AI integration.
- Application segmentation: Intelligent security: 21% of implementations.
- Intelligent infrastructure: 18%.
- Intelligent energy: 15%.
- Intelligent governance and education: 14%.
- Intelligent mobility: 9%.
- Regional participation: North America: 32%. Europe: 28%. Asia-Pacific: 26%. Africa and South America: 4%. Middle East: 2%.
In Latin America, the Smart Cities market will reach US$3.52 billion in 2025, projected to US$5.43 billion by 2029, with a CAGR of 11.44%.
There is a clear global trend toward integrating Interconnected Smart Cities into national and regional networks, and this fact drives us to reach a technological interoperability and generate a digital convergence.
Right now, all over the planet, we can mention two exceptional cases:
- South Korea
South Korea is a global reference for implementing smart city networks, notable for its systemic approach, integration of advanced technologies, and collaboration among government, industry, and academia.
Notable examples:
Songdo and the National Smart Cities Network: a city planned from scratch that integrates millions of IoT devices, environmental sensors, traffic management systems, and real-time data platforms.
National network: South Korea promotes smart city convergence through the Smart City Comprehensive Portal (remember this concept, we will talk about it later)
Highlighted applications:
- Smart intersections with Edge AI, achieving a 25% reduction in traffic congestion and a 30% increase in pedestrian safety.
- Massive deployments of Wi-Fi and 5G networks.
- Urban digital twins for planning and management — digital replicas used to simulate and predict behaviors without altering the real world (for example, planning urban growth or simulating tourist surges such as that expected in Mexico in 2026 during the FIFA World Cup).
- Singapore
Singapore is considered the most advanced case of national integration under the Smart Nation concept, where the entire country operates as a network of interconnected smart cities.
Keys of its model:
- Clear national vision: The Smart Nation initiative, led by the central government, aligns sustainability, competitiveness, and quality-of-life objectives under a dynamic, publicly funded roadmap.
- Cutting-edge digital infrastructure: Deployment of Wi-Fi, 5G and Optic Fiber networks, and IoT sensors nationwide, with interoperable platforms for mobility, energy and public services.
- Data governance and institutional trust: Platforms like Singpass (digital identity), open data dashboards, and transparent audits strengthen citizen trust and administrative efficiency.
- Service integration: Intelligent mobility (contactless payments, autonomous vehicles), green buildings, and automated logistics.
- KPIs and monitoring: Public indicators on transport punctuality, adoption of digital services, sustainability, and citizen satisfaction measured through the Smart City Comprehensive Portal.
Let's talk about this last concept.
A Smart City Comprehensive Portal is a centralized digital platform that uses information and communication technologies (ICT) to collect, process, analyze, and present data from various urban areas (mobility, energy, environment, security, among others.) in one place.
Its main purpose is to serve as a unified point of access for both citizens and administration to interact with the city, facilitating informed decision-making and improving the residents’ quality of life.
Key functions of the portal:
- Data collection and management.
- Improvement of public service efficiency.
- Citizen participation and empowerment.
- Innovation and integration with other management systems.
- Sustainability.
In summary, the comprehensive portals transform city management from isolated systems into a connected, proactive ecosystem that places technology at the service of people and the environment.
In this context, Datawifi has established itself as the Latin American reference in intelligent portal software, operating in 13 Latin American countries, with approximately 50,000 access points where it has processed 35 billion location data points from more than 60 million unique users.
Datawifi emerges as an ideal option to be the axis of the digital convergence Latin America needs to implement Smart City Comprehensive Portals.
Here are some of the key features Datawifi has:
- Real-time analytics: Collects and analyzes user behavior data when connecting to public WiFi, enabling advanced segmentation and evidence-based decision-making.
- Open APIs: Its architecture allows the integration with CRMs, management dashboards, and clients’ internal systems (banks, governments, hospitality, transport, companies).
- Privacy: All collected information is anonymized and complies with international regulations (GDPR and local regulations); it does not store passwords or access sensitive information, and identifiers (such as MAC addresses) are encrypted and used only for statistical purposes.
- Interoperability: Compatible with 40+ Wi-Fi infrastructure manufacturers and 35+ integrations with CRM systems, POS, loyalty programs, email marketing, and SMS.
- Local support and adaptation: Datawifi stands out for technical and cultural support, adapting solutions to the needs of each country and sector (transport, retail, banking, education, health, smart cities).
These portals are the path to hyperconnectivity, the fundamental pillar of networks in Interconnected Smart Cities.
And just to clarify the concept, hyperconnectivity is the integration of multiple communication technologies (public Wi-Fi, 5G, IoT) to ensure ubiquitous, secure, high-speed connectivity for citizens, businesses, and public services.
Hyperconnectivity will enable:
- Equitable access: Reducing the digital gap by facilitating internet access in marginalized neighborhoods and rural areas.
- Efficient urban management: IoT sensors and Wi-Fi networks enable real-time monitoring of traffic, energy and more.
- Intelligent mobility: MaaS (mobility as a service) platforms integrate public and private transport, optimizing routes and reducing emissions.
- Citizen participation: Digital platforms and public Wi-Fi facilitate interaction between citizens and governments, incident reporting, and access to services.
- Security: Private and public networks support video surveillance systems, early warning systems, and emergency response.
It is important to highlight that these hyperconnected cities, which integrate intelligent portals as the core of their operation, face economic, social, sustainability, and governance challenges, with governance being fundamental to strengthening transparency.
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL) proposes a Digital Governance model based on the articulation of public policies, regulatory frameworks, institutional leadership, technological infrastructure, and citizen participation.
As we have seen, Interconnected Smart Cities Networks are a key opportunity for countries seeking to improve quality of life and urban sustainability and cases like South Korea and Singapore demonstrate that technological integration, collaborative governance, and interoperability are keys to success.
In summary, the interconnection of smart cities not only multiplies economic, social, and sustainability benefits, it also positions countries and regions as leaders in 21st-century urban transformation. In Latin America, cities such as Medellín (Colombia), Santiago (Chile), Mexico City, and Curitiba (Brazil) are leaders in this transformation.
The future is now. Let us move forward together toward hyperconnectivity.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Yassef Lotina
Dieser Artikel ist neu veröffentlicht von / This article is republished from: Mexico Business New, 02.12.2025
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