The Future of Municipal Wireless Networks (Review Report)

Published by: Datamonitor

Published: Jul. 9, 2007 - 48 Pages

Table of Contents

DATAMONITOR VIEW

CATALYST

SUMMARY

METHODOLOGY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Introduction

Understanding the Emerging Market for Municipal Wireless Networks (Market Focus)

Choosing the Right Business Model for Municipal Wireless Networks (Strategy Focus)

Applications: Providing the Value in Municipal Wireless Networks (Technology Focus)

US & UK Municipal Wireless Spending Through 2012 (Databook)

UNDERSTANDING THE EMERGING MARKET FOR MUNICIPAL WIRELESS NETWORKS (MARKET FOCUS)

Summary

Municipal wireless will change how local governments and citizens communicate

Bleeding edge communities lead the market for municipal wireless

Successful communities will focus on a primary goal for municipal wireless

The need for improved government operations drives municipal wireless initiatives

Municipal wireless promises to bridge the digital divide

Innovation attracts economic development

Vendors must work with governments to overcome financial and political challenges

Governments struggle to justify the high costs of deploying and operating municipal wireless networks

Fear of political backlash may thwart municipal wireless plans

Action Points

Focus on the community's primary goal for municipal wireless

Recognize that digital inclusion involves more than low-cost internet access

Involve multiple stakeholders in the planning process

CHOOSING THE RIGHT BUSINESS MODEL FOR MUNICIPAL WIRELESS NETWORKS (STRATEGY FOCUS)

Summary

Business models and ecosystems are critical factors in municipal wireless efforts

Success of a municipal wireless initiative depends on its supporting business model

The completely public model offers local governments total authority over their municipal wireless network

A public-private partnership allows municipalities and service providers to focus on their core strengths

An anchor tenant relationship promises the most success for municipal wireless networks

Choosing the right partners is crucial for municipal wireless networks

Services providers lead the move towards public-private partnerships

AT&T extends its DSL business with municipal wireless

BT partners with 12 UK cities for municipal wireless

EarthLink offers municipal wireless via public-private partnerships with local governments

MetroFi partners with local governments for municipal wireless projects

The Cloud provides an open wireless network for municipalities and service providers

US Internet builds municipal wireless networks in public-private partnerships

Networking companies provide the backbone of municipal wireless networks

Alvarion provides WiMAX equipment for backhaul

BelAir Networks's multi-radio equipment create mesh networks

Firetide equipment enables mesh networks

Nortel equipment and applications support municipal wireless

PacketHop extends fixed mesh networks

Proxim Wireless increases focus on mesh networks

SkyPilot's primary focus is municipal wireless

Strix Systems manufactures multiple-radio equipment

Tropos Networks takes a software-based approach

Content providers, search engines and systems integrators also play important roles in municipal wireless

Google attempts to bring attention to the municipal wireless market

IBM acts as a systems integrator on municipal wireless projects

LastMile Communications delivers local content over municipal wireless networks

Action Points

Require the municipality to commit to the network as an anchor tenant

Clarify the boundaries of overlapping responsibilities early to ensure end-user satisfaction

Enter into an agreement with a joint understanding of the municipality's assets

APPLICATIONS: PROVIDING THE VALUE IN MUNICIPAL WIRELESS NETWORKS (TECHNOLOGY FOCUS)

Summary

The power of municipal wireless networks lie in the applications they support

Public works applications allow departments to be more productive

Automatic meter reading applications streamline utility data collection

Smart parking meter applications enable municipalities to collect more revenue

Public safety applications help communities prevent and investigate crime in real time

The 4.9 GHz band isolates public safety traffic

Video surveillance applications help public safety agencies patrol city areas remotely

Field worker applications allow agencies to provide better service to constituents

Municipal wireless networks allow case workers to accomplish more work in the field

Inspection applications supported by municipal wireless networks eliminate redundant processes

Action Points

Ensure network usage with the right applications

Search for the killer app that will push municipal wireless over the tipping point

Involve end-users in the decision-making process

US & UK MUNICIPAL WIRELESS SPENDING THROUGH 2012 (DATABOOK)

Introduction

Total US & UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012

US municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012

US municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 by municipal population

UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012

UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 by municipal population

APPENDIX

Definitions

Acronyms

References

Extended methodology

Further reading

Ask the analyst

List of Tables

Table 1: Total US & UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 ($ Millions)

Table 2: US municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 ($ Millions)

Table 3: US municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 by municipal population ($ Millions)

Table 4: UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 ($ Millions)

Table 5: UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 by municipal population ($ Millions)

List of Figures

Figure 1: A handful of communities are on the bleeding edge of the municipal wireless trend

Figure 2: The market for municipal wireless networks in the US and UK will explode over the next five years

Figure 3: Government efficiency and public safety top localities' expected benefits for municipal wireless

Figure 4: A large divide still exists between those with access to the internet and those without

Figure 5: Costs are the largest hurdle for local governments to overcome when investigating municipal wireless initiatives

Figure 6: In a municipally-owned model, the local government acts as the service provider

Figure 7: A public-private model allows each entity to concentrate on its strengths

Figure 8: An anchor tenant relationship provides the municipality and the service provider with more influence over the network's design

Figure 9: The ecosystem for municipal wireless

Figure 10: Improving internal government operations is the top goal for municipal wireless

Figure 11: Total US & UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 ($ Millions)

Figure 12: US municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 ($ Millions)

Figure 13: US municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 by municipal population ($ Millions)

Figure 14: UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 ($ Millions)

Figure 15: UK municipal wireless spending, 2006-2012 by municipal population ($ Millions)

Abstract

Introduction

Local governments are experimenting with municipal wireless networks to provide constituents with wireless internet access in outdoor areas of a community.

Scope

Analysis of forces driving and inhibiting municipal wireless initiatives

Spending on municipal wireless networks in the US and UK through 2012

Advice for governments and vendors evaluating municipal wireless applications

Analysis of various business models used to support municipal wireless deployments

Highlights

While still a nascent trend, communities around the world are investing in municipal wireless networks to improve government effectiveness, broaden digital inclusion and support economic development. The most successful communities will focus on accomplishing a primary goal before expanding to offer more services over the network.

As the market for municipal wireless networks matures, municipalities and technology vendors have developed a variety of business models to deliver the best value for their communities. Three leading business models are the completely public model, the public-private partnership model, and the anchor tenant model.

Because communities are developing municipal wireless networks to improve the effectiveness of government operations, it is critical that they select the proper applications to run on those networks

Reasons to Purchase

Understand the market forces affecting the adoption of municipal wireless networks

Gain quantitative insight into the projected direction of municipal wireless spending

Compare your sales strategies to those used by leading vendors in the municipal wireless market

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