DENVER, Aug. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN) is working with partners AustinGIS and Sky Packets to create new paths to improving the quality of life for city residents. AustinGIS, a pioneer of smart infrastructure-as-a-service (SIaaS), and Sky Packets, an innovator in last-mile connectivity solutions, announced a strategic partnership with telecom industry disruptor Lumen, whose global network powers metro connectivity and long-haul data transport.

The concept of a smart city is around improving quality of life by bringing next-generation technology to residents. Smart cities need sensors and endpoints in an urban center to manage assets and resources efficiently. Ultimately, smart cities need a great network to carry all that data. 

"Smart cities will bring next-generation advancements to a community, and they need a strong network foundation to support their data-driven future," said Sara Seegers, national vice president, Indirect Partner Channel at Lumen. "Our Lumen partnership draws on an innovative portfolio to deliver increased network security, performance and control. Working together, we are ready and excited to work toward our goal of bringing results that will be even better than what customers expect and improve residents' connections to local government services that are so important."

AustinGIS understands the criticality of delivering edge-centric applications coupled with a cost-effective subscription model.

"Smart city deployments are delayed because of inefficient technology, lack of execution expertise, or too much upfront capital investment," said Anupam Srivastava, CEO of AustinGIS. "AustinGIS has a proven track record for making smart cities a reality thanks to our technology, partnerships and expertise in financing. For example, our modular platform supports both near- and far-edge deployments coupled with a data feedback loop that delivers continuous AI improvement. With our outcome-based pricing, there is no capital outlay required as the cost is based on the number of deployed endpoints. Now, by incorporating Lumen's high-performance network into the mix we are changing the game for smart city feasibility."

Recently, in Mexico City, AustinGIS and Sky Packets came together to help reduce crime by employing the AustinGIS smart city edge platform and endpoints with the Sky Packets wireless network.

"AustinGIS and Sky Packets are now working with Lumen to replicate our successes, such as our Mexico City project, into new markets," said Henry Quintin, CEO, and co-founder of Sky Packets. "In Mexico, together we deployed state-of-the-art security cameras with edge compute services which reduced crime by 40% in six months, and increased citizen perception of safety by 70%. Now, we are working with Lumen to utilize their technology to drive mission critical, AI applications for faster throughput at a feasible price point for any municipality."

Under the partnership agreement, these companies will bring more power to metropolitan residents with the latest in edge computing, AI technology, fast connections, secure applications, and an outcome-based pricing structure for improving city services and citizen engagement across metropolitan centers. 

There is no lack of investment for smart cities, but inefficient technology is causing delays. The 2021 U.S. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act earmarked billions for connectivity initiatives, including smart cities.¹ According to U.S. Ignite, this funding could support advanced smart city principles and technology.²   Despite this massive investment, smart city deployments are delayed because of inefficient technology, lack of execution expertise, or too much upfront capital investment.

The partnership is effective immediately.

1 – Whitehouse.gov. May 2022. "A Guidebook to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Governments, and Other Partners." Article Link.
2 – Plautz, Jason. August 12, 2021. "What's in the infrastructure bill for smart cities?" Article link.

About Lumen Technologies

Lumen connects the world. We are dedicated to furthering human progress through technology by connecting people, data and applications — quickly, securely and effortlessly. Everything we do at Lumen takes advantage of our network strength. From metro connectivity to long-haul data transport to our edge cloud, security and managed service capabilities, we meet our customers' needs today and as they build for tomorrow. For more information, visit www.lumen.com.

About Austin-GIS

AustinGIS delivers smart city advancements to better city residents, municipalities, and businesses. By bringing scalable smart infrastructure-as-a-service (SIaaS) to global communities, AustinGIS has solved the technical and financial complexities that have limited smart city adoptions. The company has pioneered a hyperconverged, AI-edge platform reducing network latency and increasing performance. Alongside sophisticated edge technology, the company has launched smart city-centric applications in conjunction with a vast network of service providers and independent software vendors. Technology expertise, financial acumen, and partnerships have helped AustinGIS deliver projects on time and on budget, ultimately improving city life. Learn about the company's use cases and more by visiting www.austin-gis.com. 

About Sky Packets

Sky Packets is a leading provider of Wi-Fi and last-mile connectivity solutions specializing in edge computing use cases and private wireless network using Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) private LTE/5G spectrum bands. With a proven track record of delivering secure, scalable, and high-performance networking solutions, Sky Packets empowers business and communities to thrive in the digital area. For more information, visit www.skypackets.nyc.

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