(October 23, 2017 - New York City) – The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) today released The Intelligent Community in Numbers 2017.  The new research report is a statistical portrait of the Intelligent Community, a snapshot based on data submitted to ICF by hundreds of communities of every size, on every continent and in both rural and urban settings.  

The report reveals Intelligent Communities to be strong adopters of broadband, with average availability of 96% of all premises and average adoption by 80% of all premises.  Such strong numbers reflect strong competition: the median speed and price for broadband averaged 68 Mbps at a cost of US$50 per month.  They also put technology to work in schools: 98% use information and communications technology regularly in classrooms and 81% offer distance learning.  More than 90% offer free or low-cost classes in digital skills for their offline population.  

“We believe that Intelligent Communities are global models for local economic, social and cultural development,” said ICF Co-Founder Robert Bell, who authored the report. “This statistical portrait bears that out and sets a standard for communities around the world.”

The 2017 Portrait is based on the 200 most recent questionnaires submitted to the Forum. They come from the US and Canada, Taiwan, Greece, Russia, Kenya, Brazil, Japan, India, Australia and New Zealand. Their populations range from 2,000 to 12 million, and their population density from 2 to 13,000 persons per square kilometer. 

The communities provided this data in return for the opportunity to be considered for ICF’s Intelligent Community Awards as well as to receive a free analysis of their relative strengths and weaknesses and vie for a place in the annual Top 100 Intelligent Communities of the World ranking.

ICF will be announcing its Smart21 Communities of 2018 this Friday, October 27, at an evening reception during Silicon Harlem’s 4^th Annual Next Gen Tech Conference. The Awards Program will culminate in June, when ICF names its 2018 Intelligent Community of the Year at the ICF Global Summit in London.

The report is available free for ICF Members, and for purchase for non-members.

About the Intelligent Community Forum
The Intelligent Community Forum (www.intelligentcommunity.org), headquartered in New York, is a global movement of nearly 160 cities, metro regions and counties with a think tank at its heart. ICF studies and promotes the best practices of the world's Intelligent Communities as they adapt to the new demands and seize the opportunities presented by information and communications technology (ICT). To help cities and regions build prosperous economies, solve social problems and enrich local cultures, the Intelligent Community Forum conducts research, hosts global events, publishes books, and produces its high-profile annual international awards program. The Forum has two Institutes in North America dedicated to the study of the movement, with more institutes planned. Global leaders, thinkers, and media observers follow and participate in the ongoing global dialogue initiated by the Intelligent Community Forum. In 2012 ICF was invited to participate at the Nobel Peace Prize conference in Oslo and in 2014, its model and work was recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which, according to the American government, was "aimed at creating a more flexible and responsive system of workforce development to meet the needs of employers looking to fill 21st century jobs.” The Forum’s membership is made up of 145 designated Intelligent Communities worldwide, which is represented by mayors and key civic leaders. For more information, go to www.intelligentcommunity.org/icf_membership. For more details on the Intelligent Community Forum’s recent publications and programs, www.intelligentcommunity.org.

Intelligent Community Forum Contacts
Matthew Owen
Director of Operations
Intelligent Community Forum
Phone: +1 646-291-6166 (x105)
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @Newcommunities