Partnership will play key role in development of Wireless Global Congress and Connected City Advisory Board

Singapore, 17 March 2016 – The Wireless Broadband Alliance today announced that it has signed a formal agreement with United Cities and Local Governments Committee of Digital and Knowledge-based Cities (UCLG-CDC) to work closely together on the development of Connected City initiatives. The partnership will play an integral role in the development of the Connected City Summit at the WBA Wireless Global Congress, taking place on 28th June in Liverpool.

United Cities and Local Governments represents and defends the interests of local governments on the world stage, regardless of the size of the communities they serve. Since its creation in 2005, the UCLG Committee of Digital and Knowledge-based Cities, chaired by the City of Bilbao, has been working to reduce the digital divide and to boost the implementation of the digital local agenda as a means for improving the quality of life of citizens.

The Wireless Broadband Alliance, the UCLG-CDC and the City of Bilbao will immediately collaborate to develop the Connected City Summit at this year’s Wi-Fi Global Congress. Together, they will create the agenda for the Summit and outline key topics for discussion, inviting cities and governments from around the world to participate and discuss the challenges, opportunities and actions necessary for the development of smart city initiatives.

“Our cooperation with the Wireless Broadband Alliance is a perfect fit – we are both committed to the social and economic development of the Connected City ecosystem,” said Mr. Xabier Ochandiano, City Councillor for the Economic Development, Commerce and Employment of the City of Bilbao, Presidency of the UCLG Committee of Digital and Knowledge-based Cities. “The Connected City Summit will be a great platform for cities from around the world to discuss and share their experiences, as well as help those in the early stages of development to execute smart city plans. We are excited to be working with the Wireless Broadband Alliance to drive awareness for global connectivity and help bridge the digital divide.”

The partnership will also allow the Wireless Broadband Alliance to expand its Connected City Advisory Board (CCAB) with UCLG members, inviting the group to participate in roundtable discussions on the development of smart cities. The CCAB develops and promotes the growth of the Connected City ecosystem. It recognizes and disseminates information about best practices, as well as the challenges and opportunities cities face when executing Connected City plans.

“We are thrilled to be cooperating with the UCLG on the development of our Connected City Summit at the Wi-Fi Global Congress. The Committee will be imperative to the development of the agenda and gaining participation from cities from around the world to discuss, debate and ultimately help make smart cities a reality,” said Shrikant Shenwai, CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance. “Wi-Fi will be the key to bridging the global digital divide, connecting the unconnected and the underserved. We have a hope and vision for universal and affordable connectivity for all, which is why we have created the Connected City Summit at Wi-Fi Global Congress, and are continually looking to expand the CCAB.”

The Connected City Summit is taking place on June 28th at the Wireless Global Congress in Liverpool. If you would like to get involved, or would like further information on the event, please email contactus@wballiance.com.

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About the Wireless Broadband Alliance
Founded in 2003, the mission of the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) is to champion the development of the converged wireless broadband ecosystem through seamless, secure and interoperable unlicensed wireless broadband services for delivering outstanding user experience. Building on our heritage of NGH and carrier Wi-Fi, WBA will continue to drive and support the adoption of Next Gen Wi-Fi and other unlicensed wireless services across the entire public Wi-Fi ecosystem, including IoT, Big Data, Converged Services, Smart Cities, 5G, etc. Today, membership includes major fixed operators such as BT, Comcast and Time Warner Cable; seven of the top 10 mobile operator groups (by revenue) and leading technology companies such as Cisco, Microsoft, Huawei Technologies, Google and Intel. WBA member operators collectively serve more than 2 billion subscribers and operate more than 25 million hotspots globally.

The WBA Board includes AT&T, Boingo Wireless, BT, China Telecom, Cisco Systems, Comcast, Intel, KT Corporation, Liberty Global, NTT DOCOMO, Orange and Ruckus Wireless. For a complete list of current WBA members, please click here.

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About the UCLG COMMITTEE OF DIGITAL AND KNOWLEDGE-BASED CITIES

Since its creation in 2005, the UCLG Committee of Digital and Knowledge-based Cities, Chaired by the City of Bilbao, has been working to reduce the digital divide and to boost the implementation of the digital local agenda as a mean for improving the quality of life of the citizens from the decentralized governments.
Through the Committee, it has been promoted the development of a common vision and dynamics among local governments in favor of an inclusive Information Society that favors the reduction of the digital divide.