In this Digital Age, part of what makes a great city is its connectedness to the Internet.
The growth of online business, smartphones with mobile applications, social networking, and GIS are instrumental in improving the quality of life in cities worldwide.
In New York City, for instance, GIS tracking was essential to delivering emergency services during Superstorm Sandy. In Tokyo and Seoul mobile banking is integral to everyday life. In Prague, Amsterdam, or Montreal youthful travelers easily keep in touch with home. The Internet, in short, is fundamental to urban life, and the more applications the better.
In this report, we at Future Cities have taken a look at the quality of Internet connectivity across cities worldwide, using the following criteria to let the cream rise to the top:
Average Internet connection speed. Faster is, of course, better. We consulted the most recent "State of the Internet" report from online tracking firm Akamai for information on services in cities worldwide.
Availability of citywide WiFi, preferably free and fast. Ubiquitous mobile communications demand cellular-based WiFi networks -- LTE (a.k.a. 4G LTE), WiMax, municipal broadband, and the like.
Openness to innovation. Cities that accommodate startups are more likely to enjoy the benefits of early access to emerging technologies, along with the economic boosts that come with exciting young companies.
Support of public data. Cities that open local data such as real estate records, 311 inquiries, location information, and various statistics to the public for creative use get our vote. Civic hackathons are a terrific vehicle for serving the public good via great city applications.
Security and data privacy. It won't matter much if a city has great Internet connectivity if citizens' identities are being stolen online. To make this list, cities had to stand up in terms of security.
So without further ado, we present you with our list, in no particular order. Enjoy -- and tell us what you think on the message board!
Agreed totally agreed with your ISP provider thing. Mostly ISP are strictly monitize your activity and usage. Although they gave you unlimited usage but it was never true.
- Thank you for this fascinating study. Having lived in Geneva for several years, I can only second this report - it's very accurate. Something to keep in mind though, no matter how awesome your city's internet access is or the good reputation of your ISP providers, the problem is often the cost of living. Living in Geneva is crazy, even for Swiss residents. Prices are so high that living close to the urban center is at best a chimera. e-reputation
So while some very high-tech urban centers can boast unbelievable connectivity, the flip side of the coin is that it rarely benefits the common people.
Re: internet cities I believe this is a critical element for cities to market themselves to the world and something that will only grow with importance in the coming years. Great post.
Re: Internet connectivity @Hazel, yes, if the legislators bring in experts with the right amount of knowledge in the right areas. But if they don't know enough about what they don't know, it is likely they may trust "experts" with just surface knowledge -- or an axe to grind. Lobbyists aren't the best for making impartial technology judgments.
Re: Internet connectivity You raise a valid point, Mary. But I was thinking, perhaps we could give them more credit, assuming that they choose to bring in experts from the field when they embark on these kinds of projects. It would be futile if their efforts were half-baked.
Re: Internet connectivity I agree, Peter. Looking at the list, it seems that many other cities have taken the lead. It should be made a federal priority, given the impact it has on businesses and education, but I can't help thinking that this could be because other sectors were prioritized.
Re: Internet connectivity The problem with leaving the future of broadband in government hands is that, IMO, the government typically doesn't understand enough about Internet issues -- I mean the underlying technology issues as well as the application effects -- to make wise choices about regulation. Sad but true.
Re: Internet connectivity Yes, Mary. It does seem we have lost the lead in connectivity and speed. We've had other discussions around attention to infrastructure, but your point about relevance to business is especially important. Broadband is a utility but service levels are so varied. I looked at a couple of articles about it today and leaders in technology really stress that it needs to be a federal priority to move us forward.
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