Abstract

Rock Hill, recently selected by BusinessWeek as the best city in South Carolina to raise children and as a city, is continually striving to provide that extra quality of life for its citizens.  A proactive City Council, supportive City Management team, and a technologically driven staff have allowed Rock Hill to prosper as a border town to Charlotte, NC.  The Tropos wireless broadband IP infrastructure is being used today by multiple municipal departments to improve efficiencies and level of service in the community and more applications are continuously being added.

• Police - Use the network for communication between their in-vehicle PCs and the precinct.  Applications include an E-ticket system that expedites paperwork and ensures greater report accuracy. 
• Fire - Enables access to dispatch information and pre-plans while en route, saving valuable time in emergencies.
• Mobile city workers - Inspection (building, fire, code), utilities, and most city departments access customer information in real-time, including a workorder system that allows for creation of work orders from the field. 
• AMI - Underway is a project that connects electric meters to the network providing instant notification of power outages, meter tampering, as well as up-to-the minute accurate reading of utility meters. 
• Hot zones in recreational centers and parks – Enables parents, coaches and officials to obtain free wireless Internet access during events.

• Why metro-scale wireless broadband was selected
• An overview of municipal applications -- now and future
• Financing for the network – CAPEX, OPEX
• Plans for scaling the network

About Jimmy Bagley
Jimmy Bagley has been working for the City of Rock Hill since 1989, primarily in the Utilities Department where he has served as the Utilities Director since 2003.  As Director, Jimmy was responsible for the water, sewer, and electric distribution and collection systems.  Upon deploying a city wide fiber optic network to service the communication needs for all city departments, Jimmy began to research the opportunities of citywide wireless broadband to service the community’s mobile worker requirements and AMR initiatives.  Currently the City of Rock Hill is deploying a $13 million project to expand the Tropos network from 40 sq miles to 50 sq miles and incorporate an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI).  In July, 2008, Mr. Bagley was asked to lead the collaborative efforts of a new Information Technology Services Department as the Chief Information Officer.

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