Why Community Engagement Drives Smart City Success – Part 2

According to Frost & Sullivan's 2023 Smart Cities Report, the global smart‑city market is projected to hit $1.56 trillion (€1.43 trillion) by 2025. The surge in cities—ranging from Amsterdam to Dubai, Taipei to New York City—underscores the worldwide momentum behind this digital transformation.

In the first installment, we explored how smart cities drive socioeconomic progress. In this second part, Mikael Sandberg, chairman of VXFIBER, explains that the impetus behind these initiatives is the imperative for national and local governments to tackle pressing economic and social challenges, from enhancing quality of life to delivering safer, cleaner, and more accessible digital services.

While the benefits of smarter urban environments are clear to planners, they are not always communicated transparently to residents, leading to misconceptions and a growing wariness about the use of personal data by public and private actors.

An illustrative case emerged in June when UK privacy advocates claimed that residents of Peterborough were ‘treated like lab rats’ during a smart‑city proof‑of‑concept trial. In reality, the project had obtained explicit consent from participants, yet the narrative of surveillance persisted.

Instances like this highlight the necessity of a collaborative approach when shaping—or revitalising—smart cities. By engaging communities, councils, businesses, and citizens, projects can preserve local identities while delivering tangible socioeconomic benefits.

Collaboration also ensures that residents feel ownership over the digital future that directly impacts their daily lives. Critics worry that too many stakeholder voices could stall progress, but real‑world evidence suggests otherwise.

For example, South African fibre‑to‑the‑home provider Vumatel prioritized community dialogue during its 2015 proof‑of‑concept rollout in Johannesburg’s Parkhurst suburb. By hosting meetings with local associations and schools, Vumatel clarified its objectives and highlighted the community‑wide advantages of full‑fibre connectivity.

The outreach resonated, sparking enthusiasm that translated into high demand for FTTH not only in Parkhurst but also in adjacent suburbs, and eventually across Johannesburg, Cape Town (2016), and Durban (2017).

VXFIBER has replicated this community‑centric model in the UK, Europe, and South Africa. Partnerships with Stoke‑on‑Trent City Council, the Grosvenor Estate in London, and institutions from Sweden to Germany underpin its full‑fibre rollouts.

Such joint efforts yield shared objectives and heightened enthusiasm. In the Grosvenor Estate, a survey of over 300 residents and businesses gauged demand for high‑speed connectivity, informing the rollout strategy. The pilot achieved a 70% uptake and recorded zero customer complaints to date.

Similarly, VXFIBER’s upcoming city‑wide, open‑access gigabit network in Stoke‑on‑Trent marks a pivotal milestone in the council’s digital transformation agenda. Unlike conventional fibre projects driven by profit, this initiative prioritises digital freedom for residents and businesses, creating value for the community while delivering financial returns as a by‑product.

The Smart Dublin initiative, a joint venture of four local authorities, exemplifies the power of public‑citizen engagement. By collaborating with technology providers and researchers, the programme tackles urban challenges—such as economic development via Smart Sandy and streamlined grant management through the DLR Online Grants Management System—while enhancing citizen participation.

Barcelona’s approach goes further. The city leverages existing technologies to address pollution, housing affordability, and digital sovereignty. Central to this effort is Decidim, an online platform that empowers residents to vote on policy decisions, placing digital identity and social policy in the hands of the community.

By foregrounding collaboration and community spirit, we can secure the public support essential for smart‑city projects worldwide. Recognising that becoming a smart city is a local, citizen‑led transformation fosters engagement and enthusiasm for the benefits that lie ahead.

Author: Mikael Sandberg, chairman of VXFIBER