Wi-Fi access top of ‘smart city’ agenda

THERE have been campaigns aimed at fighting the expensive data costs throughout the country.

Campaigns like #DataMustFall went viral on social media in recent years, with hundreds if not thousands of people calling for data costs be reduced.

While data has not fallen, Buffalo City Metro, a city hard at work as it aims to transform itself into a “smart city”, is doing its bit to help unemployed graduates and the youth in general, access to the internet.

This, as the metro has rolled out much-needed 60 Wi-Fi hotspots at strategic areas like in the East London city centre, Mdantsane, Bhisho and King William’s Town.

The free Wi-Fi access points are located in either a municipal building or the city’s security cameras.

Once in a Wi-Fi hotspot, users can find “BCMM Wi-Fi” under WiFi in their phone settings.

They can then follow the prompts on the portal page to connect.

Users have to register by giving their name and cellphone number.

Upon registering successfully, an SMS is then issued to the user with a one-time only activation code which consists of letters and numbers. This also allows users to access any BCM hotspot in the future.

Delivering the state of the metro address at the East London ICC last week, mayor Xola Pakati said the city was serious about helping the youth get connected so that they would be able to find jobs.

“The advent of digital technology and the fourth industrial revolution has brought various disruptions to many institutions and our city is not immune to this reality.

“This is why the need for a wellconnected city is a fundamental feature of our metro growth and development strategy.

“We have committed ourselves into creating a city that is technologically smart with sophisticated transport and telecommunications systems,” he said.

The mayor said it was important for the city to be on par with leading municipalities – at least on the technology front.

“Our perspective is centred on the need to have an overlay between technology, telecommunications and transport infrastructure.

“The productive and spatially transformed city we are speaking about should be well connected at a global scale,” Pakati said.

The mayor also announced that the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa had granted the metro a licence “which gives us the approval to operate telecommunications network equipment”.

“This will help us to build robust network environment.” a