Cisco Joins Hands with OneCommunity to Revitalize Northern Ohio

By Carolyn J Dawson, TMCnet Contributor

Cisco (News - Alert) partners with OneCommunity, a chief player in developing public-private partnerships and a nonprofit broadband service provider which supports northern Ohio, for transforming the region with dynamic citizen and government programs. The pilot programs, which will be a part of Cisco's global Smart+Connected Communities efforts, will include implementing Cisco technologies through a service delivery platform for enhancing citizen quality of life, spur economic development and reducing the cost of government operations.

Northern Ohio has a prosperous history in industry and manufacturing innovation. Leaders from both the public and private sectors are now turning to the advanced technologies for transforming the region's economy to one founded on healthcare, education and technology. To attend to this transition, Cisco and OneCommunity (News - Alert) have joined hands with local governments to share the digital infrastructure, capabilities and services that are required for dedicated citizen services and public safety programs.

In a release, Wim Elfrink, the chief globalization officer and executive vice president at Cisco Services said, "Cisco believes communities that are able to use the latest advances in information technology will be best positioned to meet the demands for long-term social, economic and environmental sustainability. In working with a dedicated organization such as OneCommunity, Cisco is able to help equip this region with the solutions and services necessary to become a smart and connected community and propel economic growth, security and the quality of living for citizens."

The city of Akron will be using Cisco's network-driven collaboration technologies for offering several community services through advanced online portals. Another application will also allow the city to schedule community activities in more than 100 separate facilities at Akron's new Community Learning Centers.

In a release, Scot Rourke, president and CEO of OneCommunity said, "OneCommunity is dedicated to providing the thought leadership and technical platform to transform. Our many regional public and private partnerships, combined with our sharing of resources, have begun to enhance our global competiveness, attract investment, and create jobs. In working with an innovative company like Cisco, we are thrilled to see a series of promising pilot programs taking shape across the region and transforming the way individuals live, learn and conduct business within our communities."