A strong wireless connectivity network is a fundamental pillar of a successful smart city. Wireless connectivity is vital to transforming the city's traditional infrastructure into a living ecosystem with broadband communication, cloud computing, mobile smart devices, analytics programs, and sensors that measure noise, turn on lights, close doors, manage traffic lights, and activate cameras to keep an eye on streets.

To support a wireless infrastructure, it is important to have specialized standards and effective data management tools. To facilitate the wireless connectivity, specialized standards are crucial, as spectrum regulation and the use of licensed and unlicensed wireless technology to achieve connectivity in commercial, residential, and industrial buildings can support telecommunications services, energy management, personnel management, and smart building systems.

Additionally, the centralized management of big data is vital as smart cities collect masses of data from smart applications every day. Big data analysis can give actionable insights into the city’s operations—such as intelligence on traffic patterns or service outages—and allow city administrators and businesses to make strategic long-term decisions regarding the best way to manage the city.

Groundbreaking solutions for groundbreaking ideas

It is on the basis of these principles, and with assistance from InfiNet Wireless and its local partner SmartGreen—an automation integrator that creates solutions through intelligent software and networks—that Guaratuba has successfully realized the potential of smart city implementation in Latin America. Let’s take a closer look.

From the beginning, the administration considered key goals for its smart city implementation. The city’s local government wanted to implement a smart city project to manage the consumption of energy and water in the area, efficiently manage its fleet of transit vehicles, measure energy consumption per home, and control street lighting. Furthermore, it aimed to facilitate connectivity to integrate and interconnect all telecommunication services—including data, Internet voice, and video surveillance—on a single, consolidated network.

To achieve the smart city goals of Guaratuba, InfiNet Wireless provided a complete wireless network, combining Point-to-Point (P2P) and Point-to-Multipoint (P2MP) access and backhaul solutions. The reliability and optimal performance of InfiNet Wireless’ solutions have allowed for public buildings such as schools, health units and hospitals and management units to be interconnected to facilitate data, voice and Internet service.

Additionally, the city’s public safety system was improved with the solution, as a video surveillance system was established including Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology supported by SmartGreen’s intelligent network solution, which was in turn integrated with InfiNet Wireless’ wireless solution.

The network is based on InfiNet Wireless’ solutions, including its InfiMAN P2MP and InfiLINK PRO and XG family P2P products, which provide record-breaking backhauls. Among other features, the systems connected 2,000 LED lighting points and 2,200 luminaire points, controlled energy meters and automation points, and executed cutting and reconnecting of meters. These functions greatly improved operational efficiency and, in turn, cut operational costs—helping to accelerate savings in key areas.

Now, Guaratuba has one of the most up-to-date smart city projects in Brazil, with an array of benefits attractive to its government, year-round residents, and tourist visitors. As noted above, InfiNet Wireless’ products have played an important role by providing robust, reliable, and long-lasting solutions and maintaining all services without interruptions or errors. The Guaratuba case can serve as a beacon for the optimal approach to implementing the smart city approach elsewhere in South America—and beyond.