New small-scale technology is set to be introduced to help Swansea city centre become smarter and better connected.
The technology will be put in place on a number of lampposts and some other street furniture in the city centre to benefit businesses, shoppers and visitors.
It’s aimed at helping improve mobile coverage and data speeds in the city centre at times when it’s particularly busy there.
It could also support the further introduction of smart bins to reduce the risk of litter, as well as sensors to monitor air pollution.
Supporting the Swansea Bay City Deal Digital Infrastructure Programme’s ambition to attract a regional economic boost of £318 million in the coming years, the introduction of the technology is a collaboration between mobile network operators, infrastructure suppliers and Swansea Council.
Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: “We’ve all experienced times when we’re in a busy place and can’t seem to get good enough coverage or fast enough download speeds on our mobiles.
“This scheme is aimed at tackling that issue in Swansea city centre, while also supporting our ambition to become a smarter city in the coming years where technology is used to make more efficient decisions for the benefit of our residents and businesses.
“It will also be future-proofed to help support innovation and the increasing demand for data and connectivity in the coming years.”
In keeping with the Digital Infrastructure Programme’s approach of ‘Connectivity through Collaboration’, this project provides an opportunity to develop strong relationships that will benefit local communities as well as initiate further potential investment in digital technology in the area.
