Move over pay phones.
Kingston is planning to launch the next generation of street-side connectivity through a network of kiosks. But instead of fumbling with coins to make a call, these public devices will feature free Wi-Fi and a host of other services (except a door for Superman). The city is launching them in a new partnership with Bell Canada.
The 55-inch touch screen kiosks – about the size of an ATM – will offer Wi-Fi service, 911/emergency call button, wayfinding information, real-time updates on municipal services and cell phone charging.
Touch-screen kiosks to be installed this spring
The three-metre tall pedestals will be installed this spring in a handful of high traffic areas such as parks, recreation centres and other public locations around Kingston. And, more could be added in the future if the city likes the concept.
“It’s relatively new technology in Canada,” explained Gary Semplonius, Bell Mobility’s senior vice president of business sales.
The digital technology is meant to test Bell’s new Smart City Internet of Things (IoT) platform. IoT refers to installing a device and providing software with sensors and network connectivity, he explained.
Semplonius appeared before city council Feb. 6 to explain the partnership. He says Bell chose Kingston to launch the national initiative because of its progressive Smart City policies, highly educated workforce and the company’s recent fibre optic infrastructure enhancements.
He added: “It’s the next wave to leverage our investments.”
In addition to providing free public services such as USB charging, Wi-Fi and even heart-starting defibrillation units, Semplonius says Bell’s IoT platform will have information at the touch of a button about local restaurants and other attractions, plus on-screen corporate offers and, possibly, advertising.
“It’s not meant to be a new Google screen,” he added.
Kingston mayor Bryan Paterson applauded the partnership, noting Kingston and its residents will benefit from the new street-side technology. He asked Bell representatives: “Will this make Kingston a laboratory for these new technologies?”
Semplonius replied: “Rather than a laboratory I’d say it’s a showcase of the technologies.”
The public-private partnership will not only provide information to users but collect it through devices such as embedded cameras and sensors.
It will provide “enhanced real-time data capture and analytics that supports increased efficiency of municipal service delivery and helps the community reduce the environmental impact of assets (buildings, roads and vehicles),” according to a city staff report.
For example, city staff say the IoT platform will offer real-time information sharing to let emergency services, transit and construction crews know about road hazards, gain quick insights into how changing weather conditions will impact energy consumption of municipal buildings, or provide insight into social media sentiments on municipal operations.
City officials insisted that any personal information collected through the Bell-installed kiosks will be kept private as per municipal policies.
“The City of Kingston will control and own all data collected during the Proof of Concept partnership including any modifications, improvements, and derivatives of such data. The data is confidential and will not be disclosed or made available unless approved by the City of Kingston.”
Craig Desjardins, the municipal manager of innovation and institutional partnerships, says the potential to collect ad revenues from the kiosks is “significant.”
The city is working with Bell and Tourism Kingston on who gets the revenues, he added.
While councillors voted 11-1 to launch the pilot project, some expressed concerns about giving Bell a potential monopoly on the next generation kiosks. However, staff insisted that won’t be the case.
“The City will be free to pursue any future commercial applications with the broader commercial marketplace and not just Bell Canada,” the staff report noted.
