conversation , and it ’ s often forgotten that many of the technologies we see in smart cities can also be used in rural areas ,” adding that , “ for example , we ’ ve seen several cities use apps to improve civic engagement – there ’ s no reason why similar initiatives cannot be rolled out in more rural areas . Issues with transport and mobility are particularly prevalent in rural areas , where local councils could learn from apps such as Helsinki ’ s Whim app , which allows for a seamless transition between different forms of transport . The concept of a smart city can hence be extended to one of smart territories , also highlighting how rural and urban areas can explore new ways of being connected into the bigger picture of one ’ s country .”
5G might prove to be a key technological enabler in the extension of smart city initiatives to rural and otherwise underserved areas . According to Dr Ramsey Faragher , founder and CEO of FocalPoint and a Fellow of Queens ’ College , Cambridge , UK , where he teaches AI and machine learning , one of the most promising applications for 5G is the provision of fixed-link wireless broadband to remote and underconnected areas . “ This will be key in connecting remote areas faster and more cheaply and with less disruption than laying very large amounts of optic fibre ,” he explained in a Q & A with Mobile World . “ It ’ s an excellent application for 5G .”
Hanania agrees that extending connectivity to rural areas is a key challenge for telecom operators and
71 www . mobilemagazine . com