Oklahoma City presented ‘Verizon Smart City” award
Published: September 3rd, 2015
The City of Oklahoma City was presented with the Verizon Smart City Award this week.
The award, presented by Verizon South Central Region President Kristi Crum, recognizes municipalities that have implemented advanced technology solutions across a number of departments to improve the functionality and efficiency of operations.
The presentation took place in the Oklahoma City Council Chambers on September 1, where the award was given to Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, the City Council and city officials.
A brief presentation from Crum explained the rationale behind Verizon awarding the Smart City distinction to Oklahoma City.
“Oklahoma City is very innovative in its approach to employ technology to provide solutions for a variety of municipal departments and its residents,” said Crum. “Verizon recognizes the progress the city has made through its dedication to increasing efficiency, and saving time and money. We encourage cities of all sizes to continue to pursue the variety of technology solutions available.”
The City of Oklahoma City has instituted a range of initiatives to improve functionality and services across the metro.
In 2014, the City launched its mobile app, OKC GOV, which allows users to report city violations, adopt a pet, check bus schedules, report missed trash and a variety of other features.
This year, five new solar-powered trash compactors joined the four already installed downtown. These WiFi-connected stations alert city maintenance staff when bins are full and hold five times more than the standard trash can.
The City has also implemented a number of solutions to assist in the operation of its departments.
Police and fire crews use a single point of connection in their vehicles to run their devices, while Verizon’s wireless network powers connectivity from their mobile command post during emergencies.
City buses also use Verizon-powered technology to provide GPS for dispatching and free WiFi for passengers.