Signify brings wireless broadband connectivity through smart street lighting to Eichenzell, Germany
- German municipality of Eichenzell installs BrightSites by Signify to support its smart city vision
- Cost-effective and sustainable solution creates super-fast communication through connected streetlights
Eindhoven, the Netherlands – Signify (Euronext: LIGHT), the world leader in lighting is helping the German municipality of Eichenzell become a future-proof smart city through the use of intelligent street lighting. Its BrightSites solution brings fast, wireless broadband connectivity to the municipality, allowing Eichenzell to cater for next generation IoT applications and future 5G densification.
Signify installed LED lighting which is managed by the Interact City system. Eichenzell can continuously monitor and manage all lights from a single dashboard. The system can be also integrated into the municipality’s IT systems and even citizen apps.
The upgraded streetlights are equipped with Philips Outdoor Multisensors, which use movement detection to adjust the light level as required. Information-sharing between the lights allows for them to work in unison, providing, for example, increased brightness in the direction of travel for pedestrians, cyclists or cars. This not only leads to better road safety at night, but also reduces energy consumption, which saves money and cuts CO2 emissions.
The innovative BrightSites solution removes the need to dig and lay fiber connections, while needing only a fraction of the time and cost of traditional methods. Through BrightSites, lighting infrastructure becomes a platform for real-time safety, traffic management, pollution monitoring and other smart city services that require high-speed data connectivity. The broadband luminaires help build a platform for wireless broadband connectivity, capable of providing 5G to citizens at significantly lower cost compared to conventional means.
Smart city of tomorrow
Eichenzell was one of the few German communities selected in 2020 by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI) to become a model community as part of the “Smart City” funding project.
Johannes Rothmund, Mayor of Eichenzell, says: “Eichenzell has experience with the use of future technologies. As a municipality that set its own standards early on with its nationwide fiber optic network (FTTH broadband), it was clear that we would also rely on future-proof innovations as a Smart City model project. Signify’s lighting and connectivity solutions, in conjunction with utility company RhönEnergieFulda, are setting new standards for future Smart City projects throughout Germany.”
Rada Rodriguez, Signify’s DACH Market Leader, says: “The project marks Eichenzell’s first introduction to BrightSites and Signify’s first application in Germany. With over 1,700 light points remaining across the municipality, there is ample potential to deliver super-fast wireless connectivity in major parts in the city of Eichenzell.”