Pilot Projects Will Explore Use of Technology for Asian Games, Smart Community Centers
SAN JOSE, Calif., and INCHEON, Korea – October 23, 2010 – Incheon Metropolitan City and Cisco today inked an agreement to take forward their strategic collaboration, announced in March this year, to the next stage. That announcement, made with the previous city administration, involved the use of Cisco’s Smart+Connected Communities blueprint to transform the Incheon Free Economic Zone into a high-tech, globally competitive and environmentally sustainable smart connected city.
The new Incheon mayor, Song Young-gil, met with Cisco Chairman and CEO John Chambers today to announce the new agreement to take the collaboration in the economic zone to the next phase. Included in this phase is the development of pilot projects to explore the use of information and communications technology in the Asian Games, which Incheon is hosting in 2014, as well as the development of Smart Community Centers. Cisco hopes to equip these centers with high-end Cisco TelePresenceTM technology for use by the government and citizens in Incheon. The City and Cisco will also work together to develop a set of “Smart City” guidelines for private sector developers to build ICT-ready buildings within the Incheon Free Economic Zone. Incheon and Cisco also agreed to accelerate the development of the Cisco Global Center for Smart+Connected Communities in Incheon.
Highlights:
Incheon Metropolitan City has invited Cisco to help build pilot projects to explore the use of technologies such as high-definition video and Cisco’s Smart+Connected Real Estate solutions into the stadiums and buildings being developed for the Asian Games in 2014, including the Games Village.
Cisco’s Connected Sports solutions are increasingly being used to enhance sports and entertainment in major events such as the Beijing Olympics and the upcoming London Olympics as well as being adopted by major U.S. sports franchises such as the Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees.
Incheon and Cisco will also be rolling out a pilot for the establishment of Smart Community Centers in the Incheon Free Economic Zone, with the first targeted to be operational by June 2011. These Smart Community Centers, an enhancement of the Smart Work Centers in Amsterdam, will enable the government to interact more frequently and more meaningfully with citizens through high-definition Cisco TelePresence technology as well as to create greater collaboration between government agencies.
The Smart Community Centers will also deliver services such as educational courses from providers such as the Chadwick International School in Songdo, which is also equipped with Cisco TelePresence suites.
Incheon has also invited Cisco to contribute to the development of “Smart City” guidelines that it will use to help ensure that private developers in the Incheon Free Economic Zone build properties that will be ICT-ready. This is part of the city’s commitment to ensuring that technology is part of its underlying service infrastructure.
The final point of the new agreement between Incheon Metropolitan City and Cisco involves the advancement of the establishment of the Cisco Global Center for Smart+Connected Communities in Incheon.
Cisco will develop and provide new service-delivery models that can be implemented in IFEZ through the Cisco Global Center for Smart+Connected Communities. From this technology and innovation hub, Cisco will work with local and overseas business partners to develop solutions that are focused around public services and green-based technology for Cisco’s Smart+Connected Communities initiatives worldwide.
Cisco will use the services to help the development of network-enabled cities in Korea and in other countries. The Cisco Global Center for Smart+Connected Communities will also feature a training facility and briefing center that will use and showcase these advanced solutions.
Supporting quotes:
Song Young-gil, mayor, Incheon Metropolitan City
“We continue to recognize the importance of technology in the development of IFEZ and feel this is the way for us to differentiate our city as well as enhance the quality of life for our citizens and generate economic growth in an environmentally sustainable manner. We are glad to have the commitment and support of private sector industry leaders such as Cisco.”
John Chambers, chairman and CEO, Cisco
“Incheon is one of the prime examples for how Cisco’s Smart+Connected Communities vision can help cities transform socially, economically and environmentally, with the network as the platform. Cisco is committed to helping the Incheon Metropolitan City government to transform Incheon into a high-tech, globally competitive and environmentally sustainable smart connected city.”
Supporting Resources:
For more information on Cisco Smart+Connected Communities: http://www.cisco.com/go/smartconnectedcommunities
For more on Cisco Smart+Connected Real Estate: http://www.cisco.com/web/strategy/trec/index.html
For more on Cisco Connected Sports: http://www.cisco.com/web/strategy/sports/index.html
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About Cisco Systems
Cisco, (NASDAQ: CSCO), the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate, this year celebrates 25 years of technology innovation, operational excellence and corporate social responsibility. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com. Cisco products are supplied in Korea by Cisco Systems International, BV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems, Inc.
Cisco, the Cisco logo, Cisco Systems and Cisco TelePresence are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. A listing of Cisco’s trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.Contact Information:
Press Contact(s)
Youngmee Lee Cisco Systems, Inc. +82 (0)2 3429-8974 youngmle@cisco.com
Marc Musgrove Cisco Systems, Inc. +1 408 525 6320 mmusgrov@cisco.com
