Madrid-based GOWEX, which specializes in creating wireless smart cities, aims to bring free Wi-Fi connections to 600 cities around the world by 2018 in partnership with Cisco, the American networking giant. (Read details in the “Datamorphosis” blog.)
The Spanish company has an interesting business model. Everyone with a smart phone can get on the Wi-Fi network for free; an upgrade (€8 in European cities) gets them a connection that runs 12 times faster. GOWEX also sells advertising targeted to a person’s specific geographic location. The company charges the host municipality nothing but the city gets a network that can serve as the backbone for such solutions as smart transport and parking, urban safety, traffic management and smart tourism.
Cowex undoubtedly will find its way to the Washington metropolitan area. Will Richmond, Hampton Roads and Virginia’s smaller metros be among the 600? If we aren’t vying for a GOWEX-Cisco solution, is anyone considering an alternative that offers comparable Wi-Fi capabilities? Virginia cities aren’t in the vanguard of change — GOWEX is already in 90 cities around the world, and we’re not among them. Will we at least keep up with the global pack — or will we fall behind?
Is anyone even thinking about these things? All I hear is crickets chirping.
— JAB
