New AT&T solution remotely monitors road and rail infrastructure
According to the American Society of Civil Engineers 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, nearly half of bridges in the United States are more than 50 years old. Revitalization of civil infrastructure at scale is a common objective you hear from politicians, but national-level progress is slow to materialize. Given limited capital to invest in new infrastructure and cost pressures related to the ongoing maintenance of existing infrastructure, governmental organizations need more efficient ways to keep track of structural and other variables. AT&T is looking to add efficiency to this monitoring process with a new solution.
Mike Zeto, general manager of AT&T Smart Cities, said, “Safety is a top concern of citizens and cities alike. This concern extends beyond the realm of crime and natural disasters. It also includes the safety of our infrastructure.”
To help officials discern the safety of the rails and roads they oversee, AT&T developed an LTE-based internet of things solution that uses sensors to keep tabs on cracks, tilts and other structural factors. Data captured form the sensors can be used to “alert triggers and email alerts to capture significant events,” according to the carrier. The goal is to improve safety, lower opex related to recurring site inspections and increase access to important data via a web-based portal.
Zeto’s smart cities unit within AT&T was created in 2015. Since then the carrier has activated a nationwide network for IoT providing Category M1 LTE support for smart devices. Zeto’s smart cities group has engaged with a number of municipalities to test out smart city technologies.
In Texas AT&T is working with the Dallas Innovation Alliance to take on issues like sustainability and parking management. To the sustainability point, the partners installed 22 connected LED lights, which used 35% less energy than the previous lights in a 90-day period.
“A smart city works to solve city problems, conserve resources and create an inclusive and prosperous city. The technology itself isn’t enough without measurable insights that come from data,” Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said. “The Living Lab from AT&T and the Dallas Innovation Alliance provides a great platform to test and share results of projects that could positively impact Dallas citizens. We look forward to continued progress in creating a truly smart city for all of Dallas.”
