Before South America can initiate legitimate “smart city” projects, municipalities in the region must first work to close the digital divide. According to a panel of satellite executives at SATELLITE 2018, local governments are only just beginning to explore the potential of IoT, and will require better connectivity to roll out smart city applications.
Mauricio Segovia, CEO of Axesat, said the topic of smart cities is still premature for Latin America. “I don’t believe there are any cities that have developed a formal plan of becoming a smart city in the region. What you see is issues related to IOT projects in certain areas of the government, but the reality is this is a matter that is just beginning,” he said.
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Marzio Laurenti, CEO of Telespazio Brasil, agreed: “We have not yet identified smart cities as a potential target for our satellites.”
Bart Van Utterbeeck, vice president South America at Newtec, noted the significant connectivity gap between coastal metropolitan areas and interior regions. “People in those cities [need] access to 3G or 4G, and 5G in the future. If you don’t have those services there’s no way a certain municipality can launch an application in which the community can participate.”
Telesat Brasil General Manager Mauro Wajnberg noted South America’s unique challenges: “We’ve seen many projects where a new government will come in, spend money and give connectivity to the city — but when the party in power leaves office, the small city cannot pay the bill. And of course, we like to get paid,” added Red 52 General Manager Sergio Murillo.
Wajnberg noted South America has a higher ratio of urban population and will face distinct smart city challenges around “violence, security, safety and pollution.” VS
