Many of the worlds most successful ICT companies are extending their focus in software to
area-wide applications that involve developing online service delivery systems for cities and they
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are badging their products as part of the move to make cities smart. For example, IBM are in
the vanguard of these services and although the focus is still from the perspective of routine
services involving utilities and trac in the rst instance, very much in the tradition of urban
operations research, their remit is expanding to deal with more strategic functions and intelligence.
This is for directing and guiding the city as well as improving its long term quality of life.
IBM under its Smart Planet initiatives has key centres working on Smart Cities as their site
http://www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/us/en/smarter cities/overview/index.html shows