Title: Smart Cities – Key role of

Abstract: A Smart city is based on a smart network which is the

fiber based networks medium for carrying various applications and services. The
smart network will require fast data delivery, reliability and
capability to meet the ever increasing demands of bandwidth of
the customers.
Fiber to the Home or FTTH is the most popular form of Fiber
Author deployment and when we think of Smart homes and smart cities
it becomes more logical to consider it is a bundled offering for

Reena Harnal
the end customers

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................2

2. Understanding Smart Homes.....................................................................................................2

Multi-media.......................................................................................................................................................... 3

Smart Control Systems........................................................................................................................................ 3

Smart Security systems....................................................................................................................................... 3

Smart Energy Management................................................................................................................................. 3

Smart Homes – What the vendors are offering...................................................................................................... 3

Role of Fiber Network in building a Smart Home................................................................................................... 4

3. Smart energy production and conservation..............................................................................4

Role of Fiber network in implementing Smart grid................................................................................................. 5

Fiber based Smart grid deployments..................................................................................................................... 5

4. References....................................................................................................................................6

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1. Introduction
Smart cities are a new trend in India, but the concept of Smart cities has been there since quiet a long time. Many Cities
in Europe have achieved success in implementing government guidelines for a Smart city.
There are two important questions which we should try to understand before we go into the details of the smart cities
and role of fiber based networks.

a) Why do we want Smart cities?

b) How do we define a Smart city?

Let’s try to find the answer to the first question taking the example of India.

As per the report from Ministry of Urban development nearly 31% of India’s current population lives in urban areas and
contributes 63% of India’s GDP (Census 2011). With increasing urbanization, urban areas are expected to house 40%
of India’s population and contribute 75% of India’s GDP by 2030. This requires comprehensive development of physical,
institutional, social and economic infrastructure. All are important in improving the quality of life and attracting people
and investments to the City, setting in motion a virtuous cycle of growth and development. Development of Smart
Cities is a step in that direction.

Now, let’s focus on the second question i.e. how do we define a Smart City?

The answer is, there is no universally accepted definition of a Smart City. It means different things to different people.
The conceptualization of Smart City, therefore, varies from city to city and country to country, depending on the level of
development, willingness to change and reform, resources and aspirations of the city residents. Mostly, the criteria of
smart cities include the following:-

 Smart Homes
 Smart energy production and conservation
 Smart environment
 Smart governance

If we go by the definition of FTTH Council, for a city to be labelled SMART, one of the criteria is, it must have a strong
and reliable communication network, preferably based on Fiber optics (FTTH)

This paper will focus on Key role of Fiber networks in Smart Homes and Smart energy production and conservation

2. Understanding Smart Homes

A Smart Home is a house that has advanced, automatic or remotely operated control systems to manage the living
environment; these include temperature gauge, lighting, multi-media, security, window and door operations as well
as numerous other functions.
Smart Homes, which can also be referred to as Intelligent Buildings, use computer systems, sensors and controls to
monitor many aspects of daily living and are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

There are four major areas that function within a Smart Home:
 Multimedia
 Smart Control Systems
 Smart Security Systems
 Smart Energy Management

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Multi-media

Primarily considered to be the means with which to connect up to the Internet, multi-media incorporates all forms of
communication from traditional telephone to digital technologies such as data streaming, VoIP, video-on-demand
(VOD) and gaming. Ranging from low to very high speed data requirements, internet connection functions not only
act as a link to communications but also as a remote access route. Data streaming includes services such as video
conferencing, which is increasingly being used by the health industry for remote medical consultations and requires
symmetrical, high speed bandwidth. Also on the increase are security management solutions. Possibly, ‘best effort’
internet connections with limited security features will need to be adapted to assure secure transportation of
sensitive data.

Smart Control Systems

Generally considered part of the automated building, coded signals are sent through a home's wiring to switches
and outlets that are programmed to operate appliances and electronic devices in every part of the house. These
include automated temperature, lighting and security systems, as well as interacting with other essential process
functions such as water management. A good example is monitoring the harvesting of rainwater and the control and
use of grey water from various sources that reduces the use of clean drinking water. Smart Home systems might
even take care of feeding the cat and watering the plants. Recently, control systems have been using wireless
connectivity to reduce cabling within a building.

Smart Security systems

When mentioning security most people think of alarm systems but there are many ways in which the use of
automated security systems can benefit the living environment. Remote door entry systems, CCTV cameras, baby
monitors, gate control, flood and fire warnings all work towards providing improved living environments. Devices
such as panic alarms and motion sensors can detect if someone has not moved for a period of time and therefore
may require medical assistance.

Smart Energy Management

Whether monitoring energy usage with meters or making adjustments to the central heating before arriving home,
energy management has extended its reach into new, innovative concepts and now incorporates areas such as
Smart Grid connection, photovoltaic (PV) and micro-generation of electricity, combined heat and power systems
(CHP), low voltage DC networks, grid independence and power management including time shifting energy usage.
One of the biggest challenges for future energy management is storage. Since energy is not always produced when
it is needed, power storage and its related management systems will increasingly become part of the home energy
management system.

Smart Homes – What the vendors are offering

Currently the biggest problem with developing a Smart Home is that there are many different protocols and devices,
wiring systems and gadgets but very few of them are designed to work together. Integrating them is the big
challenge.
Traditional home and building automation products such as those used to control heating, lighting, blinds,
ventilation, security technology, audio/video and numerous other functions use simple data transfer protocols such
as KNX. The utility providers opt for a protocol called EEbus for energy management. Many digital products such as
computers, game consoles, tablet and Smart phones use Ethernet IP and wireless.

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  Apple - In June 2014, Apple released Home kit—a home automation platform that allows a variety of smart
home vendor technologies to be managed through one application on one of Apple’s devices. This is part of
a broader strategy for Apple to enter into the IoT and connected home markets

 Samsung - In January 2014, Samsung, unveiled its Smart Home platform. This platform lets users connect
and control their home using their Samsung devices through one app via their Samsung Smart TV or their
smart phone . Samsung has partnered with a Toronto condo developer to offer its smart home service as a
built-in feature. This service enables condo owners to control their access to the building and their unit, their
comfort, and, for an additional fee, their appliances and entertainment systems. This building project is set
for completion in 2017.

 Google - Google’s Android home project is also reaching out into the Smart Home territory and would like to
think that "every appliance in your home" as being a potential accessory to the phone. Even the electrical
power systems providers have had to reconsider their traditional delivery with the introduction of low voltage
energy systems such as PV and the replacement of high voltage lighting with low voltage DC. Now systems
such as Dc48 are looking at low voltage DC networks that will use energy generated locally and distributed
around the house alongside data and control signals in an attempt to build an independent home
distribution network connecting up all the homes’ devices

 Microsoft -Microsoft is looking to unify electrical appliances within the home and establish itself in the
burgeoning “Smart Home” market with the development of HomeOS. Essentially a lightweight “Smart
Home” operating system that aims to make it easy for users to manage their home networks and ease the
creation of applications by third party developers, HomeOS is designed to provide a central hub through
which various household devices can be controlled.

Role of Fiber Network in building a Smart Home

Fiber to the Home or FTTH is the most popular form of Fiber deployment and when we think of Smart homes, it
becomes more logical to consider it is a bundled offering for the end customers. If there is no digital connection it
would be difficult to control many of the modern, smart technologies and impossible to deliver high speed streaming
data. Early implementation of home automation used simple, wired control systems and required only a low data
rate to send signals. However most of the new, life-changing innovations will require fast data delivery and probably
symmetrical download and upload speeds as well. This data connection will need to be secure and robust to ensure
the Consumer has confidence in the functionality of the system.
Verizon is already marketing home automation and security services as part of their FTTH package. Such products
are attempting to make the FTTH offering financially viable and more attractive to the consumer. Smart Home is
becoming the interface between the consumer and FTTH

3. Smart energy production and conservation

A Smart Grid is based on a communication network of electricity users, production systems, storage systems and
operation systems within the distribution network. Electrical networks today are not designed for future energy loads.
Thus, reducing peak loads and shifting loads from high to low phases, reduces the need to physically upgrade electric
grids which in turn helps to avoid huge investments.
Utility providers will be able to forecast electricity demands more precisely and reduce expensive purchasing peak
loads.

In the past, electric grids only needed to transport electricity from a few, very powerful, centrally-located production sites
(e.g. nuclear power plants) to the customer. Tomorrow, these grids should be able to transport electricity from many,
distributed production sites (e.g. wind mills, photovoltaic systems) to the individual customer. To make the situation even
more complicated, customers (consumers) will become producers (prosumers) at the same time (e.g. through
photovoltaic installed on the roof). As a consequence, electricity needs to be transported both way’s, to as well as from
the customer. This is a new phenomenon for the electric grid and it is only possible with SMART grids.

Thus Smart grid is vital to any developed economy: the supply of economic and secure electricity is a key success
factor.

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Role of Fiber network in implementing Smart grid
There are multiple ways to transport data between the components of a Smart Grid. In many cases, different
infrastructures are used at the same time: Power Line Communication (PLC), General Packed Radio Service (GPRS)
and fiber networks. Traditionally, utility providers are connecting their transformer station through fiber optic cables.
Between transformer station and buildings, PLC or GPRS are used. The missing fiber optic network between
transformer station and consumers is limiting the capabilities of the grid in many cases; the providers are only
implementing “remote meter reading”. Usually PLC or GPRS are suitable for that type of application.

However, once the need for bi-directional control and frequency of intervention increases, the only physical solution
capable of delivering security, reliability and speed on demand, is a fibre network. If a FTTH network is already in place,
it is sensible to use one of the fibres for the Smart Grid allowing the utility provider to save transmission costs to GPRS
providers. While the upfront costs of deploying fiber can be significantly higher than the other options, it nonetheless
offers advantages that, in the majority of cases, trump the short-term hurdle of that capital expense:

 Bidirectional flow - Information at the speed of light. Communication in both directions on a fiber network is
instantaneous - allowing electric distributors to efficiently manage and monitor their power demand in "real-
time.”

 Real time monitoring - The more easily and efficiently power usage can be monitored and managed, the more
cost savings can be realized. The strain on overtaxed and aging power generation facilities is reduced,
prolonging their life without costly investments in repairs, upgrades and replacements of equipment
.
 Reliability and performance - Fiber optic cables, whether buried or overhead, offer improved reliability and
can transport vast amounts of information through a single fiber strand.

 Self-healing- A fiber-based system can be designed with redundant pathways to ensure a continuous flow of
information in the event of an interruption to the primary route.

 Feeding the grid - “Green” residential developments are already taking hold across the U.S., in which homes
generate their own power with a renewable source such as solar. A fiber-based Smart Grid allows for much
more efficient management of the supply of power by these micro-producers back to the grid.

 Future proof - Once a fiber pipe is in place it has almost limitless capability to handle more bandwidth and
scale up to deliver more advanced services. The fiber itself will not need to be upgraded or replaced to increase
bandwidth, only the electronics at either end.

 Broadband offerings - That big fiber pipe allows a public utility to branch out into new broadband services that
create new revenue opportunities, such as the triple play of ultra-fast Internet, HD and IP television, and
telephone, with lighting fast connection speeds of up to 100 mbps.

Fiber based Smart grid deployments

 US utilities - EPB is one of the first community-owned utilities, which uses the fiber optic network for Smart Grid
applications, in addition to the triple-play media services (i.e., high speed Internet, video and telephone) EPB
already provides.

 China-based utilities such as State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) is also deploying fiber based Smart grid
similar to US utilities. It is mainly deploying with two purposes - powering their smart grids and offering Fiber to
the Home (FTTH) services to consumers and businesses

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4. References

 http://smartcities.gov.in/

 http://www.smartgridnews.com/story/10-reasons-why-fiber-right-choice-your-smart-grid-network/2010-02-22

 http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelwolf/2013/08/28/smart-home-services-to-reach-10-9-billion-in-2017/

 http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/verizon-hires-belkin-exec-jump-start-smart-home-business/2015-03-25

 http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/chinas-smart-grid-drive-creates-15-billion-opportunity-pon-vendors-says-
ovu/2013-01-09

 http://www.ftthcouncil.eu/

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