The Parties wish to enter into discussions regarding a strategic relationship to align and strengthen the approach and methodology to design and build innovative ICT concepts for smart cities, together with other partners in the region. Innovation in the use of technology to address city challenges and meet the needs of citizens is rapidly increasing. Not only computers are connected to the internet but increasingly lights, parking places, waste bins, buildings, energy grids, traffic lights and every other object we can imagine are also being connected.
Milton Keynes is an ambitious and productive city with important economic drivers in knowledge industries and innovation, together with very good ecosystems in telecommunications, technology and entrepreneurs. Last year the city was named one of the UK’s top smart cities in Huawei UK Smart City Index, conducted by Navigant Consulting. Milton Keynes was one of the first UK cities to make a strong commitment to develop and promote smart city technology. It is now establishing itself as a primary location to trial and test new city technologies and is successfully attracting investment from IoT companies and other innovators looking to exploit this emerging market.
Milton Keynes Council Leader Pete Marland said: “We believe that innovative technologies are key to addressing the various city challenges that we face and help us better serve our citizens. Milton Keynes has the ambition to develop the core assets of our city into an overarching concept as a smart city, including a well-developed eco-system of companies and citizen engagement that supports this ambition.”
Gordon Luo, CEO of Huawei UK said: “Cities may have different priorities, but the ultimate goal is the same: to improve local quality of life. We are pleased to have signed this MOU with Milton Keynes Council, which will see both parties collaboratively develop smart city solutions that leverage Huawei’s global expertise in smart city deployments. ”
