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LNR Club president Dirk Dahlke (left) and Rotarian Carol Longacre pose with guest speaker Morné Erasmus, Director of Business Development-Smart Cities for Commscope, after last week's meeting. Morné Erasmus, Director of Business Development-Smart Cities for CommScope, a global leader for wired and wireless connectivity infrastructure, presented on Connectivity as the 4th Utility at last week's Lewisville Noon Rotary meeting. He explained how remote work, online education, and the growing trend toward mobility are pushing the demand for connectivity not just in peoples' homes and offices, but in restaurants, retail centers, stadiums, and outdoor spaces. The continual increase in the use of smartphones, tablets and laptops, combined with the advent of other "smart" devices, such as web- and bluetooth-enabled appliances, security systems, and home entertainment systems, has necessitated the development of flexible, expandable networks in cities nationwide. As a result, city planners, engineers, and the population at large need to look at connectivity as a utility, just like water and electricity, for new construction projects and to modernize existing infrastructure. Erasmus' role at CommScope is to help cities enable connectivity for Smart Spaces of the future. By leveraging the "Internet of Things" (IoT), cities also can gather data to improve the quality of life for local residents, he noted. For example, cameras and sensors mounted on buildings and traffic lights could monitor traffic flows and available parking, pushing the information in real-time to users' smartphones to give them actionable information before they ever get in the car. IoT is the foundation of the initiative to install 5G in major metropolitan areas nationwide, including Dallas and Denton counties. However, instead of more tall cell towers, cities instead will need to install myriad smaller antennas and receivers for low-latency networks. CommScope currently is working on developing aesthetically appealing network connectivity devices that can be camouflaged on signs, street lights, smart poles, and other components to make this vision a reality over the next several years. |
