As part of the Action Cœur de Ville program, Banque des Territoires, TDF and the Vichy Conurbation have launched an experiment to use digital infrastructures to optimize management of the city of Vichy and support local retail activity.
In concrete terms, this experiment will help to better control energy consumption in two of the city's buildings (the aquatic stadium and the university campus) and improve the attractiveness of the city center by offering high-performance Wi-Fi coverage.
This one-year exploratory project involves TDF deploying a platform for collecting Wi-Fi and LoRa networks, as well as securing the data on behalf of the local authority.
This initiative is part of the Action Cœur de Ville plan, in which Banque des Territoires is a major player, and which aims to revitalize the city centers of 222 French towns. Banque des Territoires is involved in this project as part of its support for engineering and innovative approaches to town centers, and is thus acting to benefit more connected, attractive and sustainable areas.
Intelligent management of energy consumption in two of the city's business hubs
With this experiment, the Vichy Communauté agglomeration intends to reduce operating costs (water, gas, electricity) for two activity centers: the aquatic stadium and the university campus. The aim is to reduce fluid consumption by several thousand euros in the first year.
To achieve this, the two structures are equipped with dozens of sensors whose data is collected via an Internet of Things network deployed and operated by TDF. Stored on a secure platform, the data is then analyzed by the local authority using the "Smati" solution (developed by Hxperience), enabling optimized management and significant savings.
Wi-Fi to boost the vitality of the downtown shopping district
For the town of Vichy, TDF is finalizing the deployment of a network of over twenty Wi-Fi hotspots. The entire shopping district and the main artery leading to the train station - a total of two kilometers of streets - will be covered. This Wi-Fi service will be accessible free of charge from a smartphone, computer or tablet in the shopping area.
Vichy Communauté's primary objective is to support downtown retailers in their efforts to revitalize the local economic fabric. By measuring visitor flows, the town will be able to adapt its actions in terms of service development, signage and business promotion. The various anonymous data, collected and secured thanks to the platform owned by the local authority, are intended to enrich future uses to develop the commercial appeal of the area.
Wi-Fi is a 100% customizable network that effectively meets the specific needs of a local authority and the expectations of the local population. Easy to manage and use, it has benefited in recent years from considerable performance gains, and has become a fundamental element of a city's attractiveness.
Key project figures
- Tens of thousands of euros in savings for Vichy Communauté in the first year
- Nearly fifty sensors deployed in the aquatic stadium and on the university campus
- 20 Wi-Fi hotspots to cover a total of two kilometers of downtown streets
"With the proliferation of sensors and antennas, local authorities need an infrastructure operator to centralize and manage the various technologies. We are delighted to be supporting the Vichy urban community in this experiment with the Banque des Territoires. It is TDF's role to propose complementary solutions and to have a global and innovative vision of these infrastructures for the development of intelligent territories", says Olivier Huart, Chairman and CEO of TDF.
"Taking up the challenge of revitalizing city centers to make our regions ever more connected, attractive and sustainable means devising creative public responses that sometimes go beyond the traditional framework of local public policies. This is why the Action Cœur de Ville program encourages the use of innovative approaches, for which the Banque des Territoires is the preferred partner. Today, Vichy town center is becoming a veritable digital laboratory, with its intelligent management and "connectivity for all", thanks to the technical expertise of TDF and the financial support of Banque des Territoires", declares Philippe Lambert, Regional Director Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes of Banque des Territoires.
"The City of Vichy and the Communauté d'Agglomération have responded favorably to the Banque des Territoires' request, as it seems very important to us to work on the energy transition or the revitalization of town centers thanks to the contribution of digital tools. The technical expertise provided by TDF will enable us to accelerate innovations in this field", declares Frédéric Aguilera, Mayor of Vichy and President of the Communauté d'Agglomération de Vichy Communauté.