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Joburg slips in ICT index

Staff Writer
By Staff Writer, ITWeb
Johannesburg, 11 Nov 2014
Ericsson says there is a link between ICT maturity and sustainable urban development.
Ericsson says there is a link between ICT maturity and sustainable urban development.

The City of Johannesburg has fallen seven places in Ericsson's Networked Society City Index, the equipment provider's latest report reveals.

The recently-released index shows Johannesburg comes in at position 29, compared to its ranking of 22 last year, a position it also occupied in 2011. The index, which ranks 40 cities according to ICT maturity and development, notes Stockholm ranks highest, followed by London, Paris, Singapore and Copenhagen.

The top five cities are the same as in 2013, but Paris has now climbed to third position, it says.

Johannesburg ranks ahead of cities such as Mexico City, Cairo, Mumbai and Dhaka. "Irrespective of the cities' current status, in all cases the index shows strong links between ICT maturity and sustainable urban development," says the report.

Ericsson notes it is seeing a global move to invest more in ICT infrastructure, greater affordability and increased ICT use in cities. "Interestingly, cities with a low ICT maturity rating seem to be maturing more quickly than high-performing cities, indicating a catch-up effect."

Both Gauteng and Cape Town are rolling out billion-rand broadband projects at the moment.

Ericsson notes ICT provides "a foundation for more radical innovation, fundamentally changing the approach to how challenges are tackled and needs are met. This process will reshape existing industries and define new markets."

Stockholm and London perform well in all dimensions of the index and distinguish themselves particularly with their high ICT usage. The cities added in 2014 are Berlin, Munich, Barcelona, Athens, Rome, Warsaw, Muscat, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, it explains.

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