Gigabit Cities Live 2015

Beyond the Network: The Gigabit Cities Live Manifesto

More than four years ago, the City of Chattanooga initiated the first of the Gigabit Cities efforts in the US. The city's charter went far beyond simply deploying an ultra-high-speed broadband network -- Chattanooga's mission was to transform its communities, driving economic growth, attracting new businesses, creating new jobs and spurring digital innovation. That city's goals -- and its successes -- helped define the Gigabit Cities era. Many other entities of all stripes -- including other cities, municipal utilities, large companies such as Google Fiber, AT&T and Time Warner Cable, and regional broadband providers such as Grande Communications and the communications cooperative Paul Bunyan Communications -- have since followed Chattanooga's lead, initiating city-wide (or multi-city) projects to provide residents and businesses with gigabit-level broadband connectivity options. Although many of these efforts have met with great success and media awareness, there remain many challenges and pitfalls for every company and municipality investing in the Gigabit Cities ecosystem. First and foremost among those challenges is recognizing that Gigabit Cities is just that: an ecosystem, comprised of not just networks and technology, not just business plans and strategic approaches, not just economic development and urban renewal goals, and not just services and applications strategies -- but all of the above. The players in the Gigabit Cities realm are not simply trying to replicate and expand upon the traditional triple-play model of voice, data and video bundles; they are creating and defining what's next for high-speed networks and services. Similarly, Light Reading's Gigabit Cities Live conference and exhibition is not just another industry event or trade show. It is an extension of and enhancement to the Gigabit Cities ecosystem -- a forum for exploring and debating the challenges and business approaches, a lens through which to compare and contrast the successes and failures, a living laboratory for examining the underlying technologies and envisioning service and application innovation, and an assembly point for forging the partnerships and affiliations that will make the ecosystem thrive. Gigabit Cities Live, which will debut in Atlanta in May 2015, will be inclusive of the entire Gigabit Cities ecosystem -- not just municipal leaders, network operators, technology innovators or application developers, but everyone involved in the decisions, strategies, investments, deployments, operations and successes of Gigabit Cities. Our event will examine best practices, explore the pros and cons of public/private partnerships, look at lessons learned, analyze the unique needs of different cities, and highlight the most effective business models for any company or municipality -- large and small, public and private, rural and suburban. Most importantly, Gigabit Cities Live will showcase innovation in high-bandwidth applications and services that are critical to driving value from the gigabit network architecture and generating economic growth for 21st-century Gigabit Cities. This new array of consumer and business applications is redefining the broadband experience and energizing economic development in communities. The advent of Gigabit Cities is transforming all facets of American life -- healthcare, clean energy, public safety, education, transportation, advanced manufacturing, collaboration, entertainment and beyond. It is truly reshaping and redefining how we work, live and play. Gigabit Cities Live will showcase the technology, vision and innovation driving that environment. We invite all stakeholders -- economic development agencies in city, county and state governments; enterprises; educational institutions; the medical community; small businesses; application developers; network operators; utilities and more -- to join us in Atlanta, at The Westin Peachtree Plaza in May for Gigabit Cities Live, and to contribute to the discourse before, during and after the event.
	Tim Downs VP Emerging Markets & Conference Director Light Reading		Jason Meyers Senior Editor, Gigabit Cities/IoT Light Reading		Alan Breznick Cable/Video Practice Leader Light Reading