In addition to the increased use of computers, the use of mobile phones has also proven to be one of the most widely used means of communication in cities. Proof of this is that, in most of cities (62%), the percentage of the population subscribed to mobile phone services is between 76% and 100%, and, furthermore, in cities like Helsinki, Taipei and Mexico City, a high percentage of the population has more than a mobile phone. Linked to this trend of using mobile phones and the emergence in our lives in recent years of smartphones and mobile devices, there has been an increase in the percentage of people who use mobile Internet services. Public Internet Access More and more cities have Wi‐Fi hotspots around town with the aim of extending the benefits of the Information Society to all citizens. These hotspots enable citizens to connect, browse the Internet and perform on‐line transactions offered by the municipality. In addition to providing Wi‐Fi access points in public spaces, cities also provide municipal spaces where computers with Internet connection are placed at the disposal of the public. In addition, in some cases, cities have reached some kind of agreement with ISPs with a view to providing the public with the opportunity of subscribing a high‐quality Internet connection at reasonable prices. Although such initiatives are not yet widespread, there are some very interesting experiences, such as those carried out by the city of Taipei with its "Wireless Taipei‐Taipei Infinity" initiative , or by the city of Durban through the deployment of a Next Generation Network and its wholesale to the private sector.
5. Smart environment Smart environment refers to the use of new technologies to protect and preserve a city's environment. Security and trust The level of risk in cities and regions is increasing rapidly, particularly in developing countries, where town development does not always take place in an orderly manner. New technologies, therefore, offer the possibility of making safer cities. A growing number of cities have implemented systems to improve citizen security based on ICT. The main system used is video surveillance. New technologies are also used to improve computer systems with a view to managing incidents and emergencies. Culture and identity The use of new technologies can contribute to cultural transmissions and to the maintenance and strengthening of cultural identities. A growing number of cities have promoted some type of initiative to digitize and share their cultural heritage, especially in the cities of Asia and Europe.
6. Smart living Talking about smart living is to compile several aspects that substantially improve the quality of life of citizens, such as culture, health, safety, housing, tourism, etc. e‐Health The application of new technologies in ways that affect health care, from diagnosis to monitoring patients, including the management of the organisations involved in these activities, is defined as e‐Health.
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