Las Vegas, Open Grid Alliance collaborate on 5G, edge Innovation Zone program
The Open Grid Alliance (OGA) has announced that Las Vegas will be the first city to pilot its Innovation Zone program. The OGA is a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the Internet into a global platform.
Innovation Zones are areas where new technologies and services can be tested and implemented to improve access to technology for underserved populations. The OGA will work with the city of Las Vegas to deploy new technologies and services in underserved areas. The initiative will bring edge and 5G services to the city and local businesses.
“The public-private partnerships we are fostering with the city of Las Vegas will drive long-term economic growth and equality,” said Kaniz Mahdi, SVP technology architecture & innovation, Deutsche Telekom & chairperson of the OGA. “It’s part of the OGA’s core mission to contribute meaningfully to the local economy and develop partnerships to deliver substantial societal benefits.”
The OGA predicts that this collaboration with Las Vegas will expedite current initiatives and bring new ones to the forefront. The goal is to create new business opportunities to strengthen the local economy and give residents, especially those in at-risk and disadvantaged communities, access to new and innovative services.
According to market research conducted for the OGA, the near-term economic opportunities in the Las Vegas Grid Innovation Zone will be in video analytics, business continuity, and 5G wireless connectivity services. The total addressable market (TAM) for these services in Clark County (the county that Las Vegas is in) is forecast to increase from $ 11 million to $163 million Dollars between 2022 and 2030. The study forecast predicts that 46 percent of cumulative service revenues come from casinos and gaming venues, 18 percent from smart cities, and 14 percent from retail.
In addition, through the Open Grid Alliance and City of Las Vegas’ programs, OGA members will contribute training programs, technology assets and services to the Las Vegas International Innovation Lab and Innovation District. These include:
Digital divide solutions: Create an innovation hub that encourages the widespread use of cost-effective new technologies and services so that the underserved and at-risk community can profit from technology.
Demo projects: Provide proof of concepts to help convince prospective investors to finance new projects.
Educational seminars: Educate local businesses about the 5G, edge and grid infrastructures in Las Vegas so they can take advantage of new opportunities.
Public/private business model: Move forward with developing new public-private partnerships and business models that lower the costs of new services for residents and city officials.
On the subject of the new technology and its benefits, Michael Sherwood, CIO of Las Vegas, had the following to say:
“Being a hub for innovation will create new business opportunities that strengthen the local economy. It will give us a foundation to deliver services to our citizens, especially those in at-risk and disadvantaged communities, including people experiencing homelessness and families without high-speed internet access.”
In September 2022, the OGA was in the news for expanding its Board of Directors and workstream charters. Meanwhile, in November 2021, the OGA announced its formation as a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization and added twenty-seven new member organizations.
Article Topics
5G | Deutsche Telekom | edge data center | hospitality | Open Grid Alliance | retail | Vapor IO | video surveillance
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