ALE customer OFN a IDC Smart Cities Award Winner

Paris, FRANCE – July 13, 2021 – Ocala Fiber Network, an Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise customer, has been named a winner in IDC Government Insights’ fourth annual Smart Cities North America Awards (SCNAA). Ocala Fiber Network was recognized in the Digital Equity and Accessibility category for delivering overnight, turn-up broadband service for hospitals, businesses and schools via its optic network during the 2020 health crisis. Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise’s OmniSwitch solutions for LAN - including Shortest Path Bridging - formed part of the infrastructure that enabled OFN to implement its highly successful broadband service.

The awards were designed to recognize the progress North American municipalities have made in executing Smart Cities projects, as well as providing a forum for sharing best practices to help accelerate Smart City development in the region. To learn more about this awards program, visit Learn more about this awards program. Winners will be honored at Smart Cities Connect being held October 19th – 21st at the Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. To learn more about the event, please visit https://fall.smartcitiesconnect.org.

Winners in the SCNAA illustrate best practice examples of how forward-thinking municipalities are effectively leveraging technology and innovation to offer new services and economic opportunities to meet the needs and expectations of citizens and residents. OFN with more than 2,200 customers connecting multiple residents, business, and organizations across the city, also offers public services such as free Wi-Fi in city parks and in the downtown area. Ocala also uses the network to deliver smart-city services, including public safety cameras and traffic management applications like real-time parking fee payment and enforcement. During the COVID-19 pandemic, OFN services supported telemedicine, distance learning, and remote working.

“The winners of our fourth annual SCNAA represent the most innovative and forward-thinking municipalities across North America, dedicated to making cities more livable and uncovering new ways to offer services and economic opportunities for all its citizens,” said Ruthbea Yesner, Vice President, IDC Government Insights and Smart Cities and Communities Strategies. “We are proud to shine a spotlight on these successful smart city initiatives and encourage the next generation of change makers for the greater good of our communities.”

“We are excited to be recognized for our efforts. From the beginning in 1995, Ocala Fiber Network has strived to serve the city of Ocala and its businesses and residents with competitive and innovative services. It’s an honor to be recognized as a winner for our continued focus on best practices while meeting the needs of our community,” said Mel Poole, Network Director of Ocala Fiber Network.