AT&T has teamed up with Current, a subsidiary of General Electric (GE), to help Mexican towns and cities become smarter with the help of IoT (Internet of Things) solutions.
As a first step, they will set up collaborations with local municipal authorities, and then begin equipping streetlights with cameras, microphones, and sensors.
These sensors, according to AT&T, will help authorities estimate crowd sizes and check vehicle speeds on the streets. For motorists, they will guide the way to vacant parking places. And police can use the smart infrastructure to keep a tab on suspected criminals.
“We will unlock a realm of possibilities to improve the way cities operate, communicate and meet the needs of citizens,” AT&T stated in a press release.
More than anything else, the smart technologies will help Mexico save millions of dollars on energy costs. In addition, they monitor air quality and issue alerts for emergency weather conditions.
“Intelligent lighting plays a huge role in a smart city,” said Chris Penrose, President of Internet of Things Solutions at AT&T. “Our collaboration with Current will enable us to use a city’s existing lighting infrastructure to more securely connect sensor-enabled networks.”
For AT&T, which has invested billions of dollars in telecom networks across Mexico, the partnership with GE will create an additional source of revenue.
A few months ago, the two firms struck a deal with city authorities in San Diego, agreeing to add sensors to about 3,200 streetlights. The San Diego project is expected to save the city $2.4 million in annual energy costs.
Current, GE’s digital industrial startup, is eyeing sealing deals with factories and commercial building owners.
IoT solutions are gaining traction as cities across the world are trying to become smarter. The market for cities could reach $1.5 trillion by 2020, according to Frost & Sullivan.
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