Smart City Awards triumph for Intechnology

Intechnology has won a top award for improving digital engagement among citizens and communities.

The Harrogate-based company was winner in the Connectivity category at Smart Cities Awards 2020 for its public WiFi and IoT networks in Coventry.

Intechnology rolled out the networks in partnership with Coventry City Council as part of preparations for the UK City of Culture 2021.

The WiFi network is free to use, family friendly and available without limit to anyone with a device.

It offers speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second, which is faster than virtually all home WiFi networks and on a par with the best business services. 

The service enables users to access the social and economic opportunities of the digital world without running up large bills for data.

To date, more than 47,000 people have registered as users.

The company’s IoT network allows connected devices – the Internet of Things – to gather and share useful data about the city.

It has initially installed sensors for the local authority to monitor and manage air quality, refuse and pests.

The network is available to the council and local universities for testing IoT innovations that help to improve quality of life in Coventry.

The Smart Cities Awards honour organisations and individuals for tackling challenges and developing smart approaches to advance their cities. 

Natalie Duffield, chief executive of Intechnology Smart Cities, said: “There is a lot of hype around Smart Cities and IoT but not many companies are actually delivering services that benefit citizens and communities in the UK.”

“We are delighted to receive this industry recognition for our partnership work with Coventry City Council that is helping to boost digital inclusion, social wellbeing and the local economy.”

The judging panel was made up of Tony Hart, head of Smart Oxford, Martyn Collins, director of Manchester’s Digital City Festival, and Richard Godfrey, managing director of Syncity Ltd.

The awards ceremony took place at the London Marriott Hotel at Regent’s Park.