Survey of Broadband-Wireless Stakeholders in Europe Supports Teamwork to Break Local Logjams Emerging Partnership Trend for Better City Management, Cost Savings and Digital Inclusion  Boston. 09/28/2006 — Boston, Mass. (September 28, 2006) — More than 180 local-government IT professionals and leading members of the broadband-wireless industry gathered at the Wireless Internet Institute (W2i) Digital Cities Convention at Olympia Exhibition Centre in London, September 25–26, 2006, to explore the opportunities surrounding the planning and implementation of broadband-wireless infrastructure and applications for local and regional governments. Citywide broadband-wireless networks and the applications and services they support are fast emerging as effective solutions for local authorities to better manage their day-to-day operations and save on expenses while providing a platform for social and economic development in their communities. “W2i estimates that local governments in Europe could yield in excess of 15 billion euros annually through workforce productivity improvements and reduction of recurring telecommunication costs with these infrastructures,” said Daniel Aghion, W2i Executive Director. At the same time, perceived barriers to implementation can stall projects and keep them from getting off the ground. A W2i/Yankee Group survey of conference attendees found that 55% of local-government representatives feel that lack of both technical know-how and funding are the primary roadblocks for deployment, while 56% of the private-sector attendees believe that  lack of political consensus and regulatory hurdles are the key barriers. “Consequently, the survey results strongly suggest that emerging service providers and local authorities can break through these perceptions with teamwork approaches to network planning, including public-private agreements, dual funding mechanisms and facilitative policy changes at the local level,” said Berge Ayvazian, Chief Strategy Officer, Yankee Group. The findings of the survey, which identifies a dozen broadband implementation trends in the UK and Europe, were supported by the experiences of project champions speaking at the conference from the City of London, San Francisco, Norfolk County (UK), Minneapolis, the Basque Country (Spain), Milton Keynes (UK), Corpus Christi (Texas), Westminster, and Stockholm. These participants provided overviews of project designs that enhance workforce productivity, improve citizen satisfaction and spur digital inclusion and economic development in their communities. LastMile Communications, Ltd., CEO Antony Abell, who participated at the conference, said: “It is very encouraging to see that so many public-sector organizations have plans in place to deploy a broadband-wireless network. The poll, however, shows that there is still a long way to go if we are to see the true benefits that municipal wireless broadband has to offer. Cities are able to address their business case while the private sector contributes with a viable commercial model. As our work with the University of Abertay in Dundee has shown, municipal broadband-wireless deployment plans need to be adopted with a true sense of inclusion involving all stakeholders if a common vision is to be achieved.” About W2i and the Digital Cities Convention Series The Wireless Internet Institute (W2i) is an independent forum bringing together stakeholders around the world to accelerate the adoption of wireless Internet in support of social and economic development as well as better-managed cities, communities and regions. Held annually in three to four regions of the world, the W2i Digital Cities Convention includes a thought-leadership conference exploring the planning and deployment of broadband-wireless infrastructure, applications and services; practical training for local-government professionals; roundtables for wireless service-provider executives and digital-inclusion experts; the annual W2i Wireless Communities Best-Practices Awards; and a Technology Showcase produced in partnership with local authorities, the private sector, and international development institutions. About Yankee Group Yankee Group is the leading industry analyst and technology research and consulting firm specializing on broadband and wireless/mobile networking.  Yankee Group’s Municipal Broadband Technologies & Services decision service helps local governments analyze alternatives and make effective decisions regarding broadband access technologies and deploying mobile broadband applications. The service also helps vendors and service providers to size, segment and compete effectively in the global municipal broadband market. back Cover An Event! Sign up to receive W2i's latest announcements: Journalist's e-mail Powered by VerticalResponse