Seoul City's Cheonggye waterway, which received international acclaim as a major success in urban renewal when it opened to the public in 2005, now has a wireless network worthy of this urban wonder. To enhance the experience for the 500,000 tourists and residents who visit this popular destination weekly, Seoul City deployed an advanced wireless mesh and access network provided by Firetide Inc. Designed and installed by Samsung SDS, Korea's largest IT systems integrator, the Firetide wireless network supports diverse applications including visitor information beamed on to rented PDAs, public video surveillance and underwater video cameras for monitoring wildlife in the stream.
The Cheonggye waterway restoration was a major undertaking as decades of neglect and development left the steam dry, diminishing its status to that of underground sewer. The elevated highway that covered the stream since 1968 also had to be removed. Now the restored six kilometer waterway is the site of an eco-friendly urban park in the heart of the downtown, where modern technology meets the rich history of the Korean capital.
'The Firetide wireless network is a great enhancement, offering high-tech capabilities to visitors and city staff alike,' said Seongmo Kang, project manager for Seoul City. 'Seoulites are impressed with the new services and comment how futuristic they are. The experience has been fantastic.'
With a total of 22 Firetide HotPort mesh nodes and 11 Firetide HotPoint access points, the multi-service network enables a wide range of applications never before seen on a single infrastructure. Visitors can now use futuristic touch-screens on information kiosks to view maps and information on area history, attractions and services, and access e-mail message centers. Rental PDAs provide location-specific advertising and information about nearby attractions. To improve public safety in the area, the network connects video surveillances cameras to a central location for monitoring and storage. In addition, the network supports sensors that keep track of the waterway's water levels, temperature and flow, and underwater video cameras for wildlife monitoring. The most futuristic application, however, are the 'streetlights of the future,' with mood lighting and an integrated voice over IP communication and alerting system.