Primary Drivers of a Digital Community
While a Digital Community supports a rich palette of applications and services, it often begins with a first-stage infrastructure deployment for a single application or mobile communication need. This initial need, is typically called a primary driver and can include:
1) Delivery of a cost-saving municipal application to increase government efficiency and productivity;
2) Replacement or enhancement of legacy communications infrastructure because of bandwidth under capacity, expensive recurring costs, and insufficient upgrades;
3) Economic development, job retention, new-business attraction, and tourism;
4) Improved citizen satisfaction with government programs and community based initiatives
City Wireless expert, Bobby Vassallo proposes cities utilize existing and excellent wireless broadband networks for solving the telecommunications requirements. The primary driver behind a community-wide digital enhancement in most cities could be any one of the four above reasons, but city trends seem to be going for wireless camera applications to fight crime, as well as meter reading and permit writing.
Vassallo says, "We usually see municipalities incorrectly viewing wireless projects as several isolated projects. The City of San Marcos in Central Texas is currently wanting to build one wireless system for "automatic meter reading" (for public works) and another wireless system for citizens and visitors to use, not realizing that these systems are one in the same! They might indeed get the privilege of "paying twice"!
Brownsville, Texas has a new (proposed) system (still not working after 3 years) and the taxpayers paid a whopping $6.6 million for it. A better system could be had for much less than half! Taxpayers deserve better.
McAllen, Texas is making similar mistakes. Their plan is to spend $6.8 million. Latest news is the system in not working and more delays are expected. Both should fire their tech department heads immediately. In both events, the local papers are quiet, in Brownsville's case, for over 3 years!
City Wireless Consulting assisted in the planning and Valley Wireless built two systems running perfectly in both those areas, and at less than 30% of what these brilliant minds have spent.