Planning for connectivity in Bristol

A bit about us Heather Saxton Programme Manager, City Innovation, Bristol City Council Nat Roberton Legible City Officer, Bristol City Council

Smart City Leader

Bristol Smart City Pilot projects to explore how new technologies can help the Council meet its aims and plan for future city and citizen needs. - 2 connected & autonomous vehicle projects - Our City Our Data open data project - REPLICATE fuel poverty, e-mobility & ICT - Digital inclusion project - Digital connectivity project

Connectivity is key to our future prosperity Successful smart cities can only be built on full fibre digital infrastructure

Why is connectivity key? Take-up of faster broadband will add about 17 billion to the UK s annual Gross Value Added (GVA) by 2024 Faster broadband is the gateway to increased business productivity e.g. using cloud computing, e-commerce, backing up data. Fast broadband is critical for delivery of current and future city services. Digital as default.

How we get our broadband

3 layers of connectivity Next generation - experimental/test beds 5G (dense connectivity, city safety, connected corridors) Gigabit plus speeds Full fibre broadband (commercial, education, new products /services, R&D) Gigabit speeds (1000 mbps) Superfast / ultrafast broadband (commercial home & business) 30mbps / 100mbps and above

Connectivity in Bristol City has 93% availability of superfast broadband. 7% (8,000 residential & 3,500 non-residential addresses) still have no standard superfast broadband offer. Need to embrace an ultrafast full fibre future to meet demand and services.

Why full fibre? Quality of connectivity will be important Symmetry - balanced upload / download speed Low latency no data delay More reliable / resilient weather, less components to go wrong Lower energy use Consistency no copper cable speed decay Enables ultrafast and gigabit speeds More future proof

Research What BCC are doing Gather and map data - understand your digital infrastructure Political commitment Corporate Strategy 2018-2023 includes a key commitment to make progress towards being the UK s best digitally connected city Inward investment and competition Attract more telecoms investment from the private sector and new Government initiatives around full fibre encourage more choice in market Bidding for grant funding opportunities from government. Work with Planning colleagues to improve policy & practice

How Planning can help Planning authorities and councils need to be proactive in accelerating the transition to full fibre Educate on the issues Update planning policies and implement them Build in full fibre in new developments and infrastructure projects Ducts, ducts, ducts!

Legible City project using connectivity to engage citizens

Future City 2048

Let s make a few predictions Autonomy, AI and automation Remote operation Explosion in VR and particularly AR Big data Ubiquitous connectivity no difference between wired and wireless IOT and everything connected

Planning for 5G Expected to arrive early 2020s. First devices 2019 5G will offer: Faster and higher capacity Lower latency / data delay More dynamic and flexible focussing capacity here it s needed e.g. festivals + network slicing Delivery of a whole new range of digital services e.g. AR / VR; and assist with machine-to-machine e.g. CAVs

Implications for cities / planning authorities Demand for access to city infrastructure e.g. street lights; and buildings to host small cells Administering requests for micro cells fibre and electricity on city infrastructure Microcells in conservation areas? Wireless concession revenue stream Local plan updates

What can planners do now? Plan, build in and encourage full fibre and 5G It s not just a humble lamp post - city infrastructure / street furniture needs to consider IOT and connectivity NOW Procurement to prepare for the future city now When the council builds e.g. roads / public transport consider future connectivity ducts! Treat connectivity as an essential utility

Thank You heather.saxton@bristol.gov.uk nat.roberton@bristol.gov.uk