The Future of Smart Cities Powered by 5G
Faces of 5G attended Smart Cities NY in May to catch a glimpse of what’s ahead for smart cities and hear how next-generation networks will power historic innovation.
“When I think of 5G, I think scalability,” says Mitchell Gorodokin, Smart Cities Associate at White Star Capital. “We’re seeing such an increase in density in sharing and devices, and the analytics on those devices is tremendous […] With connected communities and connected devices, we’re opening up vast opportunities to create innovation.”
Silicon Harlem, another organization we were lucky to meet, is working to build the largest 5G testbed in the United States.
“Silicon Harlem is collaborating with NYU and Rutgers to create the largest testbed for wireless connectivity in the country. It’s never been done before,” said Clayton Banks, founder of Silicon Harlem. “Over the next 5 years, it will contribute over $50 million in investments. It’s one of those rare moments in time when everyone can participate in innovation, and it’s happening right here in Harlem.”
For Clayton Banks, all the effort boils down to one goal: “Everyone deserves a connection, and everything will be connected,” he says.
Faces of 5G also caught up with Shaina Horowitz, Director of New Lab, a New York City entrepreneur technology center, who underscored the revolutionary capabilities 5G will offer entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to build and deploy their 21st century creations.
“5G will be essential for how people are living and working […] For small businesses, companies using a Square app can ensure faster and more efficient transactions. These faster speeds will be instrumental for the next wave of IoT,” she says.
We also sat down with the CEO of the Electronic Gaming Federation, Tyler Schrodt, who is on a mission to use online gaming to improve student outcomes and believes next-generation networks will play an integral role in these efforts.
“We take the role of a governing body, like the NCAA for college sports,” says Schrodt. “We work with schools […] to provide a great experience for students to pursue E Sports […] everything we do is through the Internet, so 5G will be incredibly important to us because it will reduce costs and access, allowing more people to access the games and gain the educational experiences that come with them.”
To hear more from these experts and others we met at Smart Cities NY, click here.