CA: Farrell’s Citywide Internet Plan Could Benefit Transit, Public Health Agencies

A new city budget analyst report shows how city departments would benefit and illustrates the “smart city” potential for San Francisco, a term used to describe a ubiquitous internet connection and sensors providing real-time data collection to improve services.

The report identified $153.5 million “in planned or aspirational [department] projects through FY 2021-22, some of which could be offset if the City deployed the proposed network.” With the network in place, The City would no longer need to pay private internet companies for services, an estimated savings of $450,000 in the current fiscal year and a projection of $1.2 million in three years.

The costs identified in the report also include planned spending by city departments to expand the existing city-owned, limited fiber infrastructure overseen by the Department of Technology, which could instead be folded into the larger citywide network.

Read the complete article at http://www.sfexaminer.com/farrells-citywide-internet-plan-benefit-transit-public-health-agencies/