nbn increases access to smart city techology

NBN Co will be rolling out its Smart Places technology across Australia, following a series of trials at strategic locations.

The wholesale product enables retail service providers and developers to make use of outdoor smart devices through a miniature, ruggedised, reverse-powered network connection that operates via nbn fibre.

Smart devices powered by outdoor fibre connections include IoT solutions such as smart traffic lights and smart poles; CCTV monitoring of highways, waterways and coastlines; and sustainability solutions in developments.

Research commissioned by nbn from International Data Corporation (IDC) has shown a shift across industries, which are increasingly adopting outdoor smart devices to drive innovation, sustainability and efficiency. Today’s estimated 71,000 nbn outdoor connections is expected to grow to more than 319,000 by the end of the decade.¹

“This is a game changer for governments, developers, utilities and transport industries — it gives them the power of fibre just about anywhere,” said Head of nbn New Developments Andrew Walsh.

“We trialled nbn Smart Places right across the country in dozens of locations and it’s been so successful it’s now available throughout Australia.

“The device is only small, but its impact is massive — it can provide the connectivity to monitor and control traffic light signals [and] digital billboards, provide Wi-Fi in public places, and provide real-time high-definition CCTV coverage,” Walsh said.

One of the first places to trial the technology was the sustainable residential community Brabham Estate in Perth, Walsh said. Smart communities developer Peet used nbn Smart Places to deliver, via retail providers, high-performance Wi-Fi to the Brabham Estate community park, allowing connectivity, smart benches with phone chargers and a weather station that decides when to mow the lawns.

“As we see a rapid increase in the planning and development of smart communities, towns, suburbs, precincts and buildings, we know communities and businesses are seeking the best connectivity,” Walsh said.

“A smart place (or smart cities as they’re often known) integrates technology into the surrounding built or natural environment to increase livability, sustainability and productivity for residents and businesses.”

_{1. IDC Spotlight Paper, commissioned by nbn: ‘Fibre Based Non-Premises Connectivity Allows Success in High Bandwidth IOT Use Cases’.}

Image credit: iStock.com/AerialPerspective Works