The Future of Municipal Wireless Networks (Review Report)

Table of Contents

• DATAMONITOR VIEW
  • CATALYST
  • SUMMARY
  • METHODOLOGY
• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
  • Introduction
  • Understanding the Emerging Market for Municipal Wireless Networks (Market Focus)
  • Choosing the Right Business Model for Municipal Wireless Networks (Strategy Focus)
  • Applications: Providing the Value in Municipal Wireless Networks (Technology Focus)
  • US & UK Municipal Wireless Spending Through 2012 (Databook)
• UNDERSTANDING THE EMERGING MARKET FOR MUNICIPAL WIRELESS NETWORKS (MARKET FOCUS)
  • Summary
  • Municipal wireless will change how local governments and citizens communicate
    • Bleeding edge communities lead the market for municipal wireless
  • Successful communities will focus on a primary goal for municipal wireless
    • The need for improved government operations drives municipal wireless initiatives
    • Municipal wireless promises to "bridge the digital divide"
    • Innovation attracts economic development
  • Vendors must work with governments to overcome financial and political challenges
    • Governments struggle to justify the high costs of deploying and operating municipal wireless networks
    • Fear of political backlash may thwart municipal wireless plans
  • Action Points
    • Focus on the community' s primary goal for municipal wireless
    • Recognize that digital inclusion involves more than low-cost internet access
    • Involve multiple stakeholders in the planning process
• CHOOSING THE RIGHT BUSINESS MODEL FOR MUNICIPAL WIRELESS NETWORKS (STRATEGY FOCUS)
  • Summary
  • Business models and ecosystems are critical factors in municipal wireless efforts
  • Success of a municipal wireless initiative depends on its supporting business model
    • The completely public model offers local governments total authority over their municipal wireless network
    • A public-private partnership allows municipalities and service providers to focus on their core strengths
    • An anchor tenant relationship promises the most success for municipal wireless networks
  • Choosing the right partners is crucial for municipal wireless networks
    • Services providers lead the move towards public-private partnerships
      • AT&T extends its DSL business with municipal wireless
      • BT partners with 12 UK cities for municipal wireless
      • EarthLink offers municipal wireless via public-private partnerships with local governments
      • MetroFi partners with local governments for municipal wireless projects
      • The Cloud provides an open wireless network for municipalities and service providers
      • US Internet builds municipal wireless networks in public-private partnerships
    • Networking companies provide the backbone of municipal wireless networks
      • Alvarion provides WiMAX equipment for backhaul
      • BelAir Networks' s multi-radio equipment create mesh networks
      • Firetide equipment enables mesh networks
      • Nortel equipment and applications support municipal wireless
      • PacketHop extends fixed mesh networks
      • Proxim Wireless increases focus on mesh networks
      • SkyPilot' s primary focus is municipal wireless
      • Strix Systems manufactures multiple-radio equipment
      • Tropos Networks takes a software-based approach
    • Content providers, search engines and systems integrators also play important roles in municipal wireless
      • Google attempts to bring attention to the municipal wireless market
      • IBM acts as a systems integrator on municipal wireless projects
      • LastMile Communications delivers local content over municipal wireless networks
  • Action Points
    • Require the municipality to commit to the network as an anchor tenant
    • Clarify the boundaries of overlapping responsibilities early to ensure end-user satisfaction
    • Enter into an agreement with a joint understanding of the municipality' s assets
• APPLICATIONS: PROVIDING THE VALUE IN MUNICIPAL WIRELESS NETWORKS (TECHNOLOGY FOCUS)
  • Summary
  • The power of municipal wireless networks lie in the applications they support
  • Public works applications allow departments to be more productive
    • Automatic meter reading applications streamline utility data collection
    • Smart parking meter applications enable municipalities to collect more revenue
  • Public safety applications help communities prevent and investigate crime in real time
    • The 4.9 GHz band isolates public safety traffic
    • Video surveillance applications help public safety agencies patrol city areas remotely
  • Field worker applications allow agencies to provide better service to constituents
    • Municipal wireless networks allow case workers to accomplish more work in the field
    • Inspection applications supported by municipal wireless networks eliminate redundant processes
  • Action Points
    • Ensure network usage with the right applications
    • Search for the "killer app" that will push municipal wireless over the tipping point
    • Involve end-users in the decision-making process
• US & UK MUNICIPAL WIRELESS SPENDING THROUGH 2012 (DATABOOK)
  • Introduction
  • Total US & UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012
  • US municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012
  • US municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 by municipal population
  • UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012
  • UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 by municipal population
• APPENDIX
  • Definitions
  • Acronyms
  • References
  • Extended methodology
  • Further reading
  • Ask the analyst
  • List of Tables
    • Table 1: Total US & UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 ($ Millions)
    • Table 2: US municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 ($ Millions)
    • Table 3: US municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 by municipal population ($ Millions)
    • Table 4: UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 ($ Millions)
    • Table 5: UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 by municipal population ($ Millions)
  • List of Figures
    • Figure 1: A handful of communities are on the bleeding edge of the municipal wireless trend
    • Figure 2: The market for municipal wireless networks in the US and UK will explode over the next five years
    • Figure 3: Government efficiency and public safety top localities' expected benefits for municipal wireless
    • Figure 4: A large divide still exists between those with access to the internet and those without
    • Figure 5: Costs are the largest hurdle for local governments to overcome when investigating municipal wireless initiatives
    • Figure 6: In a municipally-owned model, the local government acts as the service provider
    • Figure 7: A public-private model allows each entity to concentrate on its strengths
    • Figure 8: An anchor tenant relationship provides the municipality and the service provider with more influence over the network' s design
    • Figure 9: The ecosystem for municipal wireless
    • Figure 10: Improving internal government operations is the top goal for municipal wireless
    • Figure 11: Total US & UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 ($ Millions)
    • Figure 12: US municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 ($ Millions)
    • Figure 13: US municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 by municipal population ($ Millions)
    • Figure 14: UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 ($ Millions)
    • Figure 15: UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 by municipal population ($ Millions)