W2i Finalizes Program Agenda for Digital Cities Convention in Washington, DC
Local-government wireless field practitioners, statewide broadband champions, and industry experts join in best-practice sharing and a "bottom-up" discussion about community broadband initiatives and the role of government
Boston. 11/19/2007 —
To provide local-government, agency, and institutional technology stakeholders with a firsthand understanding of broadband-wireless infrastructure planning, applications, and services, the Wireless Internet Institute (W2i) hosts the 15th Digital Cities Convention, in Washington, DC, December 11–12, Washington Marriott Hotel.
The event is co-chaired by Vivek Kundra, Chief Technology Officer, District of Columbia, and W2i, and places a special emphasis on Washington, DC's Wireless Accelerated Responder Network (WARN), the nation's first citywide broadband-wireless public-safety network.
Broadband-wireless project champions from around the country will meet to discuss their implementations, including representatives from Allegany County (MD), Arvada (CO), Brookline (MA), Corpus Christi (TX), Minneapolis (MN), Phoenix (AZ), Riverside (CA), Tucson (AZ), and Washington, DC, among others.
To voice needs and concerns to key Congressional staffers and representatives of federal agencies such as DHS, USDA, USDA, DOT and the FCC, broadband champions from the following organizations will gather at a special Public Officials Roundtable on December 12: OneCommunity, OneGeorgia, New Jersey Network, ConnectKentucky, E-North Carolina, State of Arizona, and Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, among others.
"On behalf of Mayor Adrian Fenty, it is with great pleasure that we welcome the W2i Digital Cities Convention and its attendees to the District of Columbia," said Vivek Kundra, the District's Chief Technology Officer and conference co-chair. "This Convention will convene the brightest minds from academia and the public and private sectors as we explore the possibilities for sustainable broadband-wireless technologies' impact on educational, social and economic development."
"The Wireless Internet Institute embraces the opportunity to host the Digital Cities Convention with the District of Columbia, in recognition of its national leadership on wireless interoperability for public safety and its exploration of the broadband-wireless opportunity for its citizens," said Daniel Aghion, Executive Director, Wireless Internet Institute, and conference co-chair. "W2i welcomes local authorities, statewide broadband champions, and federal-level stakeholders to the Convention for a truly collaborative discussion on broadband in the United States today."
View the Agenda. BACKGROUND
The local-communities broadband-wireless market is at an exciting juncture, with more than 300 projects under way in the United States and more coming online daily here and around the world. City, county, and state leaders are embracing operational efficiencies and workforce productivity along with mission-critical public-safety and emergency-response applications as primary drivers to cost justify new broadband-wireless applications and services deployments.
At the Digital Cities Convention in Washington, DC, panels of 40-plus local-government field practitioners and industry experts will explore sustainable implementation models, the regulatory and political landscape, and funding opportunities. Workshops and Roundtables will focus on these leading application segments and implementation models: - Public-Safety & Video Surveillance
- Public-Safety & Interoperability
- Transportation & Congestion Charging
- Mobile-Workforce Productivity Improvement
- Local Government & Accessible Wireless Emergency Services
- Public-Private Partnerships
- Wireless-Networks User Experience
The 15th Digital Cities Convention also features: - The 3rd Annual Wireless Communities Best Practices Awards Ceremony showcasing winners from around the world.
- A Technology Showcase of leading wireless equipment and application vendors, service providers and systems integrators.
- Municipal Wireless Networks & Technologies Training Seminar (December 10)
- The Digital Inclusion Forum Inaugural Event (December 10) co-hosted by W2i, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, and OneCommunity.
PRIVATE-SECTOR ENDORSEMENTS
The 15th Digital Cities Convention, in Washington, DC, has received the early sponsorship support from IBM, Motorola, Firetide, Tropos Networks, Simdesk, LastMile Communications, SkyPilot, MultiState Associates, PacketHop, Go Networks, and Identiprise.
ABOUT W2i AND THE DIGITAL CITIES CONVENTION
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 Convention 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. Conventions have been held in Philadelphia, Shanghai, San Francisco, Bilbão, Houston, Rio de Janeiro, Los Angeles, London, Chicago, Seoul, and São Paulo.
PRESS CONTACT
Kellie Tulo
(856) 767-4260
ktulo@w2i.com
W2i, The Wireless Internet Institute
W2i Digital Cities Convention
225 Franklin Street, 26th Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
(617) 439-5400
(617) 439-5415 fax
www.w2i.com
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