Dubai Internet City joins international smart community network

Initiated by the Dutch government in 2003, SCIN is a network of leading global smart communities that have a vision to empower its residents with new information and communications technologies (ICT) and broadband infrastructures.

The grouping promotes exchange of best practices and business development opportunities among members. It also seeks to promote joint marketing, benchmarking tools and opportunities to work on joint projects.

Dubai Internet City's prestigious fellow members in SCIN include the city of Stockholm in Sweden, Kenniswijk in the Netherlands, the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) in Malaysia and the Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency (UTOPIA), the largest municipal fibre-to-the-home project under development in Utah, USA.

'Dubai Internet City is proud to be one of the initial members of this prestigious network,' said Dr. Omar Bin Sulaiman, Member of the Board of the Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone. 'New technologies today are helping to form unique communities that create tremendous social and economic value. All the members of SCIN aspire to achieve the radical benefits that such technologies can bring. SCIN is an inspiring initiative that creates the framework for visionary smart communities to synergise resources to further promote far-reaching progress,' he added.

Coinciding with the joining of DIC is the launch of SCIN's new online facilities. The new portal www.scin.info, provides information on individual member community, best practices, research and reports on broadband deployment as well as SCIN.

With the expanded network, SCIN seeks to tap new synergies and facilitate collaboration among its members and other smart communities. Business development is facilitated by means of permanent matchmaking facilities and missions. Active support is offered to private sector parties directly involved in smart community development and the creation of innovative services.