During the conference “Tech City – A Look into the Future”, organized by the portal of the Bulgarian municipalities – КМЕТА.bg, companies using modern technologies have outlined their visions of “smart cities”. Three companies, leaders in their field, have made presentations. One of them is a start-up – TICKEY, which is trying to revolutionize the way we travel and pay our public transport. These companies have shown how the technology we use today like smart phones, will radically change the way cities are functioning and it will improve countless aspects of our everyday life.
Huawei
Public safety is the first step in finding innovative solutions for cities. We intend to build the Center of all smart cities and we have just created a framework in order to support you in the process of developing the “smart” cities of the future. This was pointed by Edwin Dinder, Vice President, Government & Public Utilities Sector, of Huawei Enterprise Business Group.
Dinder have mentioned Huawei’s projects in Nigeria and Kenya, where an intelligent electrical grid, connected to the mobile phones, was built. The system provides serious storage of produced energy which can easily be used for different purposes.
These and other “smart” projects have managed to increase by 50% foreign tourists in Kenya and have improved the security environment.
“15% of our income is directly being invested in innovation. We want to be your partner in innovation and we want to help you. Let’s build the Center of the future today. A dynamic environment, “said Dinder. He said that the company has developed software which provides comprehensive information on cities such as population, accidents, traffic GDP and this software is already working in Beijing and beyond.
We have created a framework which can support you further. Platforms, networks, applications, clouds for different industries such as healthcare, transport, ecology.
Vivacom
Bulgarian municipal administration is on an extremely high level and quite advanced in the usage of technology solutions. All mayors, with whom we have spoken, admit the great importance of technology in the management of cities, knowing that they bring benefits. Said the director of “Corporate Sales” in Vivacom, Nicolas Getchev.
“We believe that software intelligent solutions will help you to live better,” said Getchev and mentioned the “smart” company’s projects in the country. He explained that Vivacom is investing over 200 million leva every year in the telecommunications sector and maintains over 4.9 million client services with the assistance of 5,000 employees.
“We are involved as a key partner in six projects for integrated urban transport and in a seventh one, we participate in around 40% of the activities,” said Getchev, adding that the company helps with the transmission of information on intelligent traffic lights, free internet in public transportation, and realized the possibility of CCTV.
In his words, municipalities have a serious interest in the project of CCTV, one reason is that according to surveys, crime in areas with CCTV has dropped by 40%. The company is financing this project and stores the information from the cameras. This saves expenses.
The first municipality where the CCTV project will be implemented is Blagoevgrad.
Besides the company’s participation in “smart” transport it currently has built 3,000 free Internet hotspots as their number continues to grow. Vivacom gives an opportunity for construction of intelligent street lighting, which saves costs for local administrations. The lamps have a function to enhance their light, when an ambulance is passing, and they decrease light depending on what part of the day it is. Said Detchev, about the project.
Another idea that Vivacom is implementing is for both mobile applications, which will give a direct notification and easily promote tourist attractions and events, and some specialized web sites.
Mastercard has put its focus on small obstacles and challenges that however slow us down in the everyday life and which are a problem for everybody. “We want to enter technology into the daily life of people by using the digitization of payments. The city – large or small, in Europe, USA or Asia – always has small, small challenges – for example when we are looking for small coins for a bus ticket or when we do not know whether the taxi driver has enough change for us or when you wonder where to park and how to pay, “said Silviya Hadzhiyaneva, manager Public policy at Mastercard for Bulgaria and the western Balkans. She has added: “If we give solution to small problems we believe that will help a lot.”
Hadzhiyaneva has explained that the aim of Mastercard is to reduce dependence on cash payments by fully digitalizing the process which will make cities safer and more integrated. And not only – similar evolution will allow the sustainable development of cities and prepare them for future growth. As a small example of the integration of Mastercard in the cities Hadjiyaneva has pointed London – where, thanks to the company, you can easily travel by metro – regardless the country you are coming from. So, if you pay with Mastercard your trips within the city, you can forget about calculating and wondering whether to buy a single ticket, daily card or travel card.
With Mastercard you simply mark the card at the entrance of the metro, which does not cost you anything and at the end of the day, if you have had five trips, for example, you will be charged for one daily card that costs less than five single tickets.
She welcomes and supports the initiative of KMETA.bg for the Fund, which will help municipalities to bring technology in schools.
In order to make easier our journeys in public transport TICKEY – a Bulgarian start-up is working really hard. The application, explains the manager Dimitar Dimitrov, allows us to pay for public transport easily and quickly – using our smart phones.
“You do not need a bank card – it is in your phone. And at the end of the day you always get the best price for your travel, ” he explained. He pointed out that currently, across Europe, payment methods are quite inefficient and using ancient technologies from the last century.
The app uses a proximity sensor and it shows the best and fastest route from point A to point B with public transport. Using the app you can pay for the bus, metro, tram. The company has already launched the app in Sofia, and soon it will begin work on the implementation of it in Burgas and Plovdiv.
On the ceremony seven municipalities were awarded for innovation – Sofia, Burgas, Varna, Stara Zagora, Blagoevgrad, Veliko Tarnovo and Pleven.
Mayors, awarded “Mayor of the month,” have also received their certificates at the ceremony.
