Telcom industry association TM Forum has released a Smart City Operations Map which aims to help cities easily integrate new technologies and providers with existing information systems.
Based on the Forum’s Business Process Framework (eTOM), which is described as a “multi-layered view of the key business processes required to run an efficient, effective and agile digital enterprise”, the new Map outlines smart city operations using a “common language”. It provides descriptions and definitions for business processes, sales and marketing, business fulfilment, assurance and billing.
It has also been adapted to fit the unique features of cities by including sections on citizen engagement, communities and a broader range of stakeholders.
The map aims to allow telcos, vendors and other technology partners that have already built networks and solutions using the Business Process Framework to more easily work together and benefit from interoperability with city data.
Ten cities in China
China-based cloud solutions provider Inspur is working with more than 100 cities in China and 10 of those cities, including JI’Nan and Loudi, have already implemented TM Forum’s Smart City Operations Map.
“Today, most smart city projects are still in the initial stage and face issues such as lack of planning, data islands, unclear characteristics, insufficient effectiveness, lack of operations, lack of long-term sustainable mechanisms and so on,” added Chen Dongfeng, executive president, Inspur Group.
“The Smart City Operations Map is a breakthrough. It not only helps smart cities avoid unnecessary and repetitive business processes but also aims to innovate a new model of city management and service supply chain together with the whole digital ecosystem.”
Jiang Zhenhua, chairman, Smart JI’Nan, added, “TM Forum’s Smart City Operating Map has been a significant guide for the operation of Smart JI’Nan city. Based on eTOM, this new map provides a systematic view of smart city operations for JI’Nan managers and various stakeholders.
“It also helped Smart JI’Nan standardise the operation management system and business processes, integrate digital resources, and build a cooperative ecosystem so that we can provide quality-assured products and services to the public, businesses and government.”
Framework
In addition to the Smart City Operations Map, TM Forum’s smart city tools include a Smart City Maturity and Benchmark model and an IoT API component suite for end-to-end IoT device management.
“Smart city initiatives around the world are striving to improve the liveability of cities as urbanisation becomes predominant for over half of the world’s population,” said Joann O’Brien, vice president of digital ecosystems, TM Forum. “However, the design and development of smart cities are still considered a massive feat and solution architects lack holistic tools to do the job.
“This new Smart City Operations Map provides a framework to solve challenges for both buyers and sellers to help make smart city initiatives a success.”
TM Forum lists the City of Saint-Quentin and Limerick City and County Council among its 850 members.