Addressing a key challenge to Singapore’s smart city ambitions

Smart cities are the future of urban living. They’re simply more efficient and sustainable, and they help people lead better lives.

Singapore, for one, has been vocal about its plans to become a “smart nation,” with the government announcing the Smart Nation initiative in 2014. Since then, various projects have been rolled out in pursuit of this vision, from smart lamp posts to autonomous vehicle trials.

However, there are roadblocks on the nation’s path to becoming truly “smart.”

A matter of connectivity

There are many challenges that Singapore has to address in its journey toward becoming a smart city. Concerns about privacy and security, getting buy-in from citizens, and having regulations in place to manage the new systems and technology are just some of the hurdles the nation faces.

Photo credit: cegoh / Pixabay

However, a challenge that is often overlooked in discussions about smart cities involves connectivity. After all, what’s the point of having a vast network of smart sensors if you can’t transmit and process information in a timely manner to benefit end users?

For example, Internet of Things (IoT) devices generate regular, continuous streams of information that need to be sent back to a data center or a cloud so that they can be processed and acted upon. This usually needs to be done in real time, which places a huge strain on networks.

Despite ranking fourth in the world for connectivity, there is still room for improvement before Singapore’s infrastructure can fully accommodate the demands of a smart nation. Service disruptions on networks can take hours to fix – not ideal when you have time-sensitive information from sensors that need to be processed.

One solution to this issue of connectivity could be the use of software-defined networks.

Greater flexibility and control

A software-defined network, or SDN, is a form of network management architecture that enables the network to be centrally controlled using software applications. Essentially, there is a software-enabled control layer on top of existing network infrastructure, which decouples network control from physical hardware such as routers and switches.

“SDNs create more manageable and dynamic network infrastructure,” says Susan Loh, vice-president of sales, marketing, and business development at SPTel, a provider of digital services and network and fiber infrastructure for enterprises in Singapore.

According to Loh, SDNs come in handy with smart city initiatives because they enable providers to have a better overview of network health.

Companies can react to issues quickly without needing to physically check on routers and switches. Additional bandwidth or cybersecurity measures can also be provisioned virtually to meet changing business needs.

Susan Loh, vice-president of sales, marketing, and business development at SPTel / Photo credit: SPTel

“Basically, everything can be done remotely, which gives companies more flexibility and higher visibility to address any issues that may arise,” says Loh.

SPTel has this unique advantage with its SDN, which gives it the capability to identify and resolve network issues quickly for maximum uptime. The company uses artificial intelligence in its SDNs to automatically reroute traffic whenever disruptions are detected.

SPTel itself is a joint venture between global technology, defense, and engineering group ST Engineering and the government-owned power company SP Group.

As such, it’s able to leverage its relationship with its parent companies to deliver enhanced network connectivity to enterprises. For example, SPTel’s unique fiber pathways combine leased SP Group infrastructure and its own fiber pipes. Laid alongside power network cables, they benefit from the same protection that covers the country’s electricity network.

Right on the edge

Aside from having a secure fiber network, SPTel also has an extensive network of hubs across the island, enabling organizations to leverage them for edge computing in their smart city projects.

Edge computing is particularly useful for IoT as it helps companies “perform computing and analysis closer to the things, events, and people that they serve for improved responsiveness”, explains Loh.

Typically, companies would need to use either on-premise or cloud infrastructure to support IoT systems.

On-premise solutions provide the best latency and control but they also require significant investments in both money and manpower – costs that rise if multiple locations are required. Cloud infrastructure, meanwhile, is more affordable up front, but businesses may end up with higher network bandwidth costs and compromised latency due to the distance the data has to travel.

Edge computing offers the best of both worlds, minimizing hardware investment while processing data efficiently. With flexible provisioning on SPTel’s SDN, businesses can access edge computing hubs as and when it is required.

For example, a business that implements facial recognition tech for security purposes can register for SPTel’s IoT-as-a-service platform and use the nearest edge computing hub to run the necessary analytics. In the event of a network disruption, processes are automatically moved to an alternative server, preserving its uptime.

Toward a smarter Singapore

SDNs have the potential to make a difference in how smart cities unfold. They enable networks to adapt quickly and efficiently to the demands placed upon them, thus ensuring that smart city technology is able to live up to its full potential.

“The move towards a smart city is inevitable and networks will need to evolve in response to that. With more services being interconnected and going online, a resilient network backbone for Singapore is essential,” says Loh. SDNs could very well be that.

SPTel is an ST Engineering and SP Group joint venture that leverages the strengths of its parent companies to offer customers unique connectivity and digital services and become the digital services provider of choice.

SPTel is officially launching its SDN and business class digital network at ConnecTech Asia 2020. Find out more about its services by visiting its virtual booth here.

This content was produced by Tech in Asia Studios, which connects brands with Asia’s tech community. Learn more about partnering with Tech in Asia Studios.