W2i, IBM Host Digital Cities Workshops at 2007 Global Forum
At third W2i Europe Forum, project stakeholders and industry experts explore business models and regulatory issues surrounding citywide broadband-wireless implementation.
Boston. 10/25/2007 —
To provide local authorities from around the world with best-practices sharing on the deployment of broadband-wireless networks for cities and the applications and services they enable, the Wireless Internet Institute (W2i) hosts Digital Cities Workshops: Broadband Wireless for Better Managed & Safer Communities at the 2007 Global Forum in Venice, Italy, sponsored by IBM in partnership with the 2007 Global Forum: Shaping the Future, Fondazione Giorgio Cini, November 5–6, 2007.
Workshops participants will explore the range of opportunities and roadblocks surrounding the planning and deployment of community broadband-wireless networks for cities and regions. - Workshop 1: Regulatory Challenges (November 5, 5:00 – 7:00 pm): City officials, including Paris Vice Mayor Danièle Auffray, regulatory authorities and service providers discuss the emerging regulatory frameworks around municipal wireless in Europe, including state-aid rules for cities.
- Workshop 2: Business Models (November 6, 2:30 – 6:00 pm): Several municipal-wireless project champions from Europe and the United States, including Mr. Chris Vein, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom’s broadband-wireless project champion, will share experiences and lessons learned, to be followed by a moderated discussion on leveraging government operations to jumpstart public-access models for underserved communities.
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, Executive Director, Wireless Internet Institute. “The business case for governments is to focus on efficiency gains and improved citizen services, which can be realized through mobility applications allowing for return on investment, as well as to leverage the networks for public-safety applications such as video surveillance and emerging areas such as Intelligent Transportation Systems," said Rizwan Khaliq, Global Business Unit Executive, Digital Communities, IBM Global Government. More information: Global Forum. About the W2i Digital Cities 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 and better managed cities, communities and regions. Held annually in three to four regions of the world, the W2i Digital Cities series includes a thought-leadership conference exploring the planning and deployment of broadband-wireless infrastructure, applications and services; practical training for local authorities; roundtables for wireless service-provider executives and digital-inclusion stakeholders; the annual Wireless Communities Best-Practices Awards; and a Technology Showcase produced in partnership with the public sector, private sector, and international development institutions. Planning is in final stages for Washington, DC (Dec. 11–12, 2007). In 2005, W2i hosted the Digital Cities Convention in Bilbão and, in 2006, the Digital Cities Convention in London. About the Global Forum
The Global Forum / Shaping the Future is an annual, international, invitation-only event dedicated to business and policy issues that affect the successful evolution of the Information Society. The Global Forum 2007 is organized by Items International, in cooperation with the Foundation Sophia-Antipolis and the City of Venice. As a high-profile international symposium, the Global Forum brings together national, regional and local governments, industry leaders, senior policy makers and civil society leaders, researchers and academic specialists. It facilitates the creation of synergies between suppliers and users, as well as connections between practical applications and innovative ideas in an increasingly convergent technology environment. It acts as a catalyst for a wide range of ICT applications, platforms and positions, while remaining neutral and independent.
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