The Tower Automation Alliance hosted the second edition of “Automate Camp” at the Official College of Architects in Madrid, Spain. The event, dedicated to the evolution of smart cities, gathered prominent stakeholders from major TowerCos operating both in Spain and on the global stage, alongside institutions at the forefront of telecommunications infrastructure development and other key industry players.
The event's presentations and panel discussions delved into various topics to underscore the pivotal role of high-quality telecommunications infrastructure in today's cities and the cities of the future. These discussions encompassed the internet of things (IoT), big data, cloud computing, 5G networks, smart buildings and more.
Alberto Horcajo, chairman of the Tower Automation Alliance's advisory board, opened the event with a warm welcome, emphasizing that "we are currently in a time of transition, and initiatives like these can guide us into the future."
Following this, members of the Tower Automation Alliance, including Hybrico, Gave Electro, Berrade, Staex, MODI, and Shapemaker, presented their smart cities projects from various angles and specialties, such as energy, cybersecurity and process automation. These are seen as crucial aspects of optimizing telecommunications network deployment in smart cities.
Rubén Gil, the technical and commercial director of Berrade, stressed the importance of designs that blend seamlessly with new environments and are in harmony with the landscape and citizens.
“Madrid Automate Camp” featured two-panel discussions on significant contemporary issues. The first panel was moderated by David Humanes, head of technology at Atrebo, and María Antonieta Fernández, professor at Pompeu Fabra University and counsel at Sdp Estudio Legal. It explored initiatives for utilizing both public and private infrastructure in smart cities. Participants highlighted solutions and actions from their respective institutions aimed at promoting the orderly development of infrastructure. Marc Pérez-Batlle from the smart-cities network (RECI) emphasized the impact on citizens and businesses when deployments are encouraged by the public sector.
The second panel, moderated by Jesús del Estad, CEO of Atrebo, and Luis del Valle, chief revenue officer of the same company and founder of the Tower Automation Alliance, focused on proposals to provide cities with telecommunications infrastructure that delivers anticipated benefits for companies, administrations and citizens. Speakers from American Tower Spain and Vantage Towers discussed the importance of reinforcing connectivity, deploying networks efficiently and ensuring resilience.
Andrés Posada, marketing and sales director of TOTEM Spain, highlighted the need for precise site selection to accommodate specific operator requirements. Regarding infrastructure cybersecurity, Daniel Andreu, global technical operations director at Cellnex Telecom, discussed efforts to use machine learning and artificial intelligence to detect anomalies and enhance network resilience.
