THE CONNECTED CITY
BRIDGETOWN WI-FI
Carlyle J. Roberts
Regional Head of Government Solutions
Unique Bridgetown
Capital of
Barbados
Blend of
Historic &
Modern
Visited by
George
Washington
In 2011
• In June 2011: Bridgetown received the
Heritage stamp: Making it known for its
preservation of history
• In July 2011: Bridgetown also became the first
capital city & cruise port in the Caribbean with
ubiquitous wireless broadband access: Making
it known for its embrace of the present &
future
Project Overview
• The BCCI, BTI and the GOB are leading an extensive Initiative to
Revitalize the City of Bridgetown. This project will include:
Improved security
Enhanced lighting
Landscaping
Improved sanitation facilities
Cultural and heritage activities
Wireless Internet connectivity on demand.
• A Public-Private-People Partnernship team to create a low-cost
Wi-Fi zone of approx 100 public outdoor Wi-Fi access points.
• Covering Bridgetown from Kensington Oval in the North to Hilton
Hotel in the south
Challenge……Solution
Challenge:
• Continuously improve and upgrade the capital
city
• Spread affordable broadband access for all
• Make broadband available to multiple types of
devices
Solution:
• Place: Bridgetown [first phase]
• Technology: Wireless Broadband
Stakeholder Model
Public:
Government
has invested in
the project
Private sector
businesses have
agreed to use
their premises
for locating
access points
People have
partnered by
using the
service
LIME invested in
the technology,
expertise,
management &
funding
ICT Development Goals & Strategy
Enabling Environment
• No national policy required; Wi-Fi spectrum used
• Public awareness through media & announcements
• Free usage for almost 6 months
Infrastructure Development
• Wireless service easy to deploy
• Bridgetown represent first phase in access strategy
Services & Apps
• Increased usage of smart phones for information
• Access for new local-aware applications (e.g. transport)
Measuring & Managing
• Cloud Solution allows for easy management
• Performance is being measured and reported
–
–
–
–
Type of devices usage
Amount of users & bandwidth utilisation
What is the killer app [most used]
Which areas are heaviest users, & peak times
• Quality monitoring of service & up-time
– Link monitoring with alarms from cloud controller
– Implemented as a self healing mesh
Finally
1. Part of Revitalization of Bridgetown done in
partnership with BCCI, BTI, GoB & LIME
2. Expanding Broadband Access for ALL in the
capital & most visited area
3. Other Benefits to the City
• Increase commerce in Bridgetown
• Facilitate the drive to make Bridgetown a 24/7 city
• Assist Bridgetown as a historic city centre
4. Helps achieve ICT development strategy
initiatives
5. Adequately monitored & measured
Bridgetown is Officially
Lit-Up for Browsing
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