The smart city project aims to transform Kowloon East district into a new business area
Swedish vendor Ericsson has teamed with U.S.-based professional services company Arup to carry out a smart city feasibility study, following the Hong Kong government’s vision of developing Hong Kong into a smart and sustainable city.
The study focuses on transforming the district of Kowloon East into an additional Central Business District.
Both Ericsson and Arup will work together to formulate a smart city framework and to implement a strategy and a business model that later can be expanded to cover the rest of Hong Kong. The two companies will also provide advice on centralized digital infrastructure and cyber security to support the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data applications.
“We are happy to have Ericsson on board to work on this flagship project. Arup is an independent firm of planners, designers, engineers, consultants and technical specialists working across the built environment. We feel honored to be appointed by the Hong Kong government as the lead consultant of the 18-month feasibility study,” Arup’s director Wilfred Lau said.
“We are driving or engaging in many major projects together with industry partners, city authorities, international organizations and academia to deliver best-in-class solutions for smart and sustainable cities around the world,” Paul Bergström, Head of Ericsson Hong Kong & Macau, said.
Thai government to re-auction 900 MHz spectrum on May 27
In other APAC news, Thailand’s military government has invoked Section 44 of the country’s interim constitution to impose a schedule and terms for re-auctioning spectrum in the 900 MHz, local press reported.
The date for the new auction is now set for May 27. Local mobile operator True obtained one of two 900 MHz licenses auctioned last December, while start-up Jas Mobile won the other concession, but failed to obtain the required financing to pay for the spectrum.
The government confirmed that Jas Mobile will not be allowed to participate in the process while True will take part of the new auction, according to the reports. The starting price for the spectrum is set at THB 75.65 billion (USD $2.16 billion), while each bidder in the new auction must put up a guarantee of THB 3.78 billion.
