Dive Brief:
- St. Petersburg, FL has been chosen as the latest Smart Gigabit Community by nonprofit US Ignite and broadband provider Spectrum Enterprise, through a partnership with the St. Petersburg Innovation District.
- Each Smart Gigabit Community receives access to a low-latency, ultra-fast network with local cloud computing and storage capabilities. The St. Petersburg Innovation District plans to use the new resources to address local needs such as infrastructure, workforce development, public safety, education and community health.
- US Ignite and the National Science Foundation (NSF) launched the Smart Gigabit Community program in 2015 and there are now 26 members.
Dive Insight:
US Ignite works to help communities on their journey to becoming smart cities and with accelerating their efforts. It helps advance technological innovation within cities and guide them to a more connected future.
A strong internet network is the backbone to successfully integrating new technologies into a city. Without solid broadband in place, cities are limited in their internet of things (IoT) capabilities. Broadband provides greater connectivity and operating ability for innovations including interactive kiosks and sensors — which are critical to cities' IoT-based innovations from adaptive traffic lights to autonomous vehicles (AVs).
Receiving access to a low-latency, high-speed network and cloud computing will better position St. Petersburg for further innovation. The city's Innovation District is adjacent to the downtown, an ideal location for furthering the goal of economic development and job growth. There will be a targeted focus on development within certain industries important to the city, such as marine and life science, specialized manufacturing, data analytics, financial services and creative arts and design.