Ericsson 2014 report index ranks 40 cities, measures ICT maturity

Latest report by the Ericsson 2014 Networked Society City Index has ranked forty cities, measuring their ICT maturity in terms of leverage from ICT investments in economic, social and environmental development: the “triple bottom line” effect. The Ericsson Networked Society City Index has been developed in close collaboration with Sweco, the sustainable engineering and design group. According to the report, cities with a low ICT maturity tend to be improving their ICT maturity faster than high performing cities, indicating a catch-up effect. The report included three predictions for the future of cities, around the growth of smart citizens, a redefinition of GDP, and the power of collaboration. Johannesburg and Lagos were amongst cities ranked in the report. In the latest report, nine cities have been added to the 2014 edition of the Networked Society City Index report. Meanwhile, the top five cities , Stockholm, London, Paris, Singapore and Copenhagen, according to the report, remained the same, though Paris has now surpassed Singapore to take the number three slot. The nine new cities added in this year’s report will include Berlin, Munich, Barcelona, Athens, Rome, Warsaw, Muscat, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Among these, Munich enjoys the highest ranking, followed by Berlin and Barcelona. In addition to the top-three ranking cities, Stockholm, London and Paris, the following cities were also part of the index: Abu Dhabi, Athens, Barcelona, Beijing, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Cairo, Copenhagen, Delhi, Dhaka, Dubai, Helsinki, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Karachi, Lagos, Los Angeles, Manila, Mexico City, Miami, Moscow, Muscat, Mumbai, Munich, New York, Oslo, Rome, São Paolo, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, Tokyo and Warsaw. However, key findings in the report showed that cities with low ICT maturity were improving their ICT maturity faster than high performing cities, indicating a catch-up effect, and a potential for cities to leapfrog by moving straight into advanced mobile technology Many cities, according to the report, also have the opportunity to leapfrog others by avoiding expensive and increasingly obsolete physical infrastructure, instead moving straight into innovative applications using advanced mobile technology. The Networked Society Evangelist and driver of City Life at Ericsson, Monika Byléhn, while explaining the importance of ICT in the development of cities said that, “Today, we are seeing so many new opportunities which are more or less provided by ICT. The way that cities are lead is increasingly built on ICT to provide efficiency and innovation, in basically all areas of a city, from health care to transport to utilities.” For Patrik Regårdh, Head of Ericsson’s Networked Society Lab, “Cities will be the major arena in which ICT can bring solutions for economic, social, and sustainable growth. As a leader in ICT development, solutions and implementation, Ericsson is playing a major role in realizing the Networked Society and paving the way for more efficient, effective cities. “Besides our reports like the City Index, we are engaging in public-private partnerships to drive progress such as the New Cities Foundation, and collaborate with agencies such as the UN-Habitat-the agency mandated by the United Nations to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities.” - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/ericsson-2014-report-index-ranks-40-cities-measures-ict-maturity/#sthash.0qik97zD.dpuf