TM's 5G tech brings smart city features to Langkawi

LANGKAWI (Jan 16): Three use cases within the Smart Town cluster currently being implemented by Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) in its 5G demonstration project (5GDP) on this island resort is set to ensure the existence of a sustainable, smart and secure city to meet the needs of its residents.

TM ONE's Emerging Solutions and Innovation director Azrin Aris said the three use cases were the smart traffic light at Jalan Persiaran Putra, smart safety and surveillance in Pantai Chenang, and smart parking along Jalan Pantai Chenang.

"All three components of this Smart City cluster have their own advantages such as a data-driven smart signal solution that provides a single view for monitoring and help improve traffic flow by reducing wait times in traffic lights and improving traffic congestion as well as traffic management.

"While the smart security and surveillance solution is a real-time monitoring system consisting of cameras and monitoring equipment placed in strategic areas for a variety of purposes, including building and area safety, crime prevention and traffic monitoring," he said when met recently.

Azrin said the smart parking solution, meanwhile, provided real-time parking lot monitoring using cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) that allow users to find empty parking lots using mobile applications.

He said all the data collected from the three use cases go directly to the Integrated Operations Control Centre also known as the 5G Control Centre (5GCC), which is located in the Langkawi Land and District Office.

"Each use case in this smart city cluster has its own functionality, among which is the smart signal light which uses high definition video and AI to identify traffic situations.

"This smart signal system uses machine learning on whatever data is collected before the algorithm learns about the patterns of traffic such as the number of vehicles, wait time and even we can see what happens if the weather changes, such as the drivers' behaviors (during the period). What's interesting is through the 5GDP, from the pattern we get (of the data collected) we will be able to forecast what will happen in the next seven days," he said.

Azrin said the smart city technology developed by TM could benefit not only the local community, but also the local authorities in planning future development projects.

"The data obtained from smart traffic lights will help local authorities plan how roads should be built, on whether they should be widened or if a flyover is needed at the location," he said.

TM has implemented a total of 11 5G use cases for 5GDP in Langkawi, the highest among all telecommunications companies in the country.