Atlanta’s transformation into a global top-tier smart city includes unique opportunities for local students, citizens and businesses to unleash their creativity and the spirit of entrepreneurship by leveraging actionable data coming from a new digital infrastructure. A collaboration between AT&T, Current by GE and Georgia Power is transforming the city’s existing street lighting infrastructure into a sensor-enabled data network that will accelerate the digital era of urban development.

Two hundred sensors are being added to previously installed GE LED streetlights encompassing North Ave Corridor, Buckhead Loop, MLK and Northside Drive, Joseph E Lowery Boulevard and the Atlanta City Government area. The AT&T Digital Infrastructure solution will utilize Current’s CityIQ sensors to help Atlanta address issues such as traffic flow, parking optimization and gunshot detection, and create a platform for citizen engagement. The fixtures are also equipped with an advanced controls system called LightGrid^* which allows city managers to dim, brighten and check maintenance on the lights remotely.

“Like oxygen, connectivity underlies everything we do,” said Mike Zeto, general manager, AT&T Smart Cities. “We are teaming with Current by GE and Georgia Power to support SmartATL by ushering in a new digital frontier that connects the city and ignites the app economy.”

“The city of tomorrow requires collaboration across every layer of the public and private sector,” said Christine Primmer, Georgia Power Smart Cities Strategic Manager. “By digitizing our lighting assets with cutting edge technology like CityIQ, Georgia Power is further evolving our commitment to provide safe, reliable and valuable services in Atlanta and across every community in Georgia.”

The Atlanta Civic Coding Competition showcases the potential of leveraging open-sourced data, including CityIQ, to solve city challenges. The competition is now down to eight final teams, who will present their innovative apps before a judging panel today at the AT&T Perch in the Mercedes Benz Stadium for the chance to win as much as $40,000. CityIQ APIs are also being offered as part of the student challenge at the Georgia Tech HackGT4 on October 13, 2017.

“The type of civic engagement model that Atlanta is bringing to life will improve the way the city operates, communicates and meets the needs of citizens,” said Austin Ashe, General Manager of Intelligent Cities for Current, powered by GE. “In our work around the world, we see the critical role intelligent lighting plays in accelerating the digital era of urban development.”