Press Releases

Cisco and New Songdo International City Development Join Forces to Create One of the Most Technologically Advanced Smart+Connected Communities in the World

information@galeintl.com () — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST

Cisco and New Songdo International City Development Join Forces to Create One of the Most Technologically Advanced Smart+Connected Communities in the World

US$47M Investment from Cisco Paves the Way for a Dedicated Managed Services Company and a Global Showcase for Smart+Connected Communities in the North East Asia Trade Tower

SAN JOSE, Calif. and INCHEON, South Korea - July 4, 2011 - New Songdo International City Development LLC (NSIC) and Cisco today announced agreements that form important milestones in the development of Songdo International Business District, a 1,500-acre new city on the coast of Incheon, South Korea. Songdo IBD is being developed by NSIC, a joint-venture between American developer Gale International and Korean construction firm POSCO E&C, under the governance of the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority.

Under the first agreement, Cisco has agreed to invest in U.Life Solutions, together with Songdo U.Life LLC, a company previously formed by NSIC and LG CNS. Songdo U.Life will retain majority ownership in the new company, with Cisco holding a minority stake. U.Life Solutions will deliver Smart+Connected Community managed services to businesses and residents in Songdo IBD.

The second agreement will see NSIC integrate Cisco® products and technologies into new construction projects it is building in Songdo IBD and paves the way for Cisco to establish a Global Showcase for Smart+Connected Communities that will ultimately be located in the Northeast Asia Trade Tower. The center will be a dynamic showcase for technologies and applications for smart cities built on the experience of Songdo IBD.

Cisco's investment in U.Life Solutions represents a significant milestone in Cisco's vision of building Smart+Connected Communities by using the network as the platform to deliver innovative services. U.Life Solutions will deliver a wide range of managed smart-city services to organizations and residents living and working in Songdo IBD, including integrated building and facility management, on-premises safety and security, home networking, and virtual concierge services. Cisco's investment of USD 47 million announced today underpins the company's commitment to both agreements.

U-Life Solutions will deliver the managed smart-city services over the Cisco Unified Service Delivery platform, the single integrated solution unifying data centers, computing resources, video, collaboration and communications for Songdo IBD.

Beginning this year, U.Life Solutions will start deploying Smart+Connected Community Home Solutions that comprise advanced home networking systems and Cisco TelePresence®, a next-generation video conferencing technology. With this solution, residents will be able to conveniently control lighting, air conditioning/heating systems, gas, curtains and all other home devices using touch-screen wall pads, mobile remote controllers and even smartphones, computers and tablet devices. The Cisco TelePresence unit will enable real-time video communication and provide a window not just to family members, but also to a host of service providers such as schools, banks and the government.

Highlights

Cisco's investment in U.Life Solutions will make the most of the synergies of Cisco's Smart+Connected Communities vision with Gale International's experience as a world-leading smart-city developer, together with Posco E&C's experience as a general contractor in large-scale construction projects, and LG CNS's reputation as a leading IT systems integrator in Korea.
The first phase of Songdo IBD, which includes hotels, retail, residential towers, a convention center and a 100-acre park, opened in August 2009, and about 7,000 households are already occupied in the city Approximately 40 percent of the project is completed. When fully completed in 2017, Songdo IBD will be home to 65,000 people, and 250,000 are expected to work and live in Songdo International City.
The establishment of U.Life Solutions to deliver managed Smart+Connected Community services to the newly built city is a critical milestone in the development of Songdo IBD into a model for Korea's national ubiquitous city program. The u-City initiative aims to turn the nation's cities into environmentally sustainable communities that also generate rapid economic growth and opportunities for citizens.
The new Cisco Global Showcase for Smart+Connected Communities in Songdo IBD will feature solutions for smart cities and will also include a training facility and briefing center.
A central technology component involves Cisco TelePresence and related video technologies. More than 10,000 Cisco TelePresence units are expected to be installed in Songdo IBD over the next seven years.
Cisco TelePresence will enable leading-edge services in areas such as education, security, virtual learning and concierge services. Songdo IBD will allow residents, visitors and businesses to experience a technology-enabled lifestyle through digital infrastructure systems designed and built directly into the city's framework.

• Cisco's technologies will also help Songdo IBD foster environmental sustainability. For example, sensors in buildings will be able to gather, analyze and display real-time energy use and resident/employee resource-consumption data.

Supporting quotes:

Young-Gil Song, Mayor, Incheon Metropolitan City

"Private companies play an active role in ensuring that ICT contributes to upgrading the lives of smart city residents. In line with this, the decision for Gale International, POSCO E&C and Cisco to establish U.Life Solutions is delightful. I look forward to U.Life Solutions integrating various technologies and network to make the ‘sustainable city of the future' become a reality."

Wim Elfrink, executive vice president, Emerging Solutions, and chief globalization officer, Cisco

"Our further collaboration with Gale International on Songdo IBD is our next milestone in ensuring that technology becomes a key enabler in creating economically, socially and environmentally sustainable cities. This brings us a step closer to our vision to create a new industry based on smart regulation, new ecosystems, public-private partnerships and 21st-century smart connected cities. I am sure Songdo IBD will soon be set as a leading example of a technologically led smart future city."

Stanley C. Gale, chairman of NSIC

"The implementation of Cisco TelePresence and related technologies will transform the lives of the citizens of Songdo IBD. Every apartment will feature this window to the world, accessing friends, family and citizen services directly, live and in person. Songdo IBD will be the ultimate smart connected community, offering lifestyle enabling innovations for residents and businesses. We look forward to collaborating with Cisco to use technology to build and transform environmentally responsible and economically viable communities."

Supporting Resources:

For more information on Cisco Smart+Connected Communities: http://www.cisco.com/go/smartconnectedcommunities
Keep up with Cisco's news by visiting the company's Platform Blog.
Follow Cisco APAC on twitter: @CiscoAPAC
RSS Feed for Cisco: http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/rss.html

About Gale International
Gale International is a premier international real estate investment and development company with headquarters in New York and offices in; California; Shanghai; Seoul and Songdo, South Korea. For more information please visit www.galeintl.com.

About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com. Cisco products are supplied in Korea by Cisco Systems International, BV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems, Inc.
# # #
Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

Cisco Press Contacts: Industry Analyst Contact: Investor Relations Contact:
Youngmee                         Lee Huey Miin Leong           Matt Hardwick
Cisco                                  Cisco                                    Cisco
+82-2-34298974                +65-63175650                     +44-20-88241970
youngmle@cisco.com        hmleong@cisco.com           mahardwi@cisco.com

Marc Musgrove
Cisco
+ 1-408-5256320
mmusgrov@cisco.com

Cisco and Gale International Build on Success of Smart+Connected Communities in Songdo International Business District

information@galeintl.com () — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST

Collaboration Transforming Smart+Connected Communities Worldwide

Photo

Wim Elfrink, Chief Globalisation Officer & EVP, Cisco Services

INCHEON, South Korea - August 12, 2009 - Cisco today announced its intention to expand its relationship with Gale International by bringing together complementary skills, capabilities and solutions to create smart, sustainable cities of the future. The collaboration combines the Cisco® Smart+Connected Communities vision with Gale International's experience as a smart-city builder to provide a connected and sustainable living and working experience to communities worldwide. Cisco shares a common vision with Gale International that in cities of the future urban services will be delivered more innovatively, and cities will be managed more efficiently using technology that enables newer models of managed and hosted services within public-private partnerships.

Highlights / Key Facts:

Cisco is building on its collaboration with Gale International in Sondgo International Business District (IBD) and intends to jointly develop and deliver a robust, repeatable platform and transformational solution set that will help customers deploy Smart+Connected Communities solutions globally, including near-term opportunities in China.
In April 2009, Cisco signed a framework agreement with Gale International to establish the 'Cisco Global Center for Smart+Connected Communities' in Songdo IBD, a 1,500-acre new city being developed off the coast of Incheon by Gale International and POSCO E&C under the auspices of the Incheon Free Economic Authority. The same month, Cisco also announced it would work closely with Incheon Metropolitan City to develop network-enabled innovation and to support sustainable economic development in the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ).
The two companies intend to partner to help accelerate the development of such smart and connected cities, which will be designed to improve economic development, environmental sustainability, and the quality of life for citizens. They will also assemble a broad ecosystem of strategic design, development and technology partners to enable and drive network-enabled city-scale innovation.
Cisco and Gale International also today announced that they intend to collaborate on the Meixi Lake District project in Changsha, Hunan Province, China. The Meixi Lake District project will be the first city-scale development in China for Cisco and Gale International.
Focused on eight "tracks" within a city, Cisco's Smart+Connected Communities initiative is designed to provide smart and connected solutions for real estate, safety and security, transportation, utilities, government, education, health care and sports.

Executive Quotes:

Wim Elfrink, chief globalisation officer and executive vice president, Cisco Services

"The vision for this new city is truly transformational, giving residents, businesses and government leaders within Songdo the opportunity to experience the city of the future - today. Our collaboration on Songdo IBD with Gale International is a living example of the globally replicable model we are building for Smart+Connected Communities. We are thrilled to be part of such a groundbreaking initiative, working closely with Gale International to develop new business models for managing and delivering urban services using the network as the platform for transforming cities and countries. We look forward to future visionary projects like this one, such as the efforts currently underway in Meixi Lake District in China."

Stan Gale, chairman of Gale International

"We are globalizing the real estate industry by identifying and deploying integrated solutions in a unique replicable model. City-scale development must fit the needs of the visionary communities daring to undertake them. The city of Incheon is to be commended for their vision. More than a decade ago, they believed that Songdo IBD could deliver a better quality of life and deliver economic benefit to the people of Korea. We are excited about this vision and look forward to working closely with IFEZ, Cisco, and other partners to make Songdo IBD and IFEZ the successful model for sustainable cities of the future. Similarly, our next project, China's Meixi Lake development seeks to provide an unparalleled quality of life for its inhabitants. Gale International and Cisco, working with other global partners, such as UTC and 3M, intend to deliver sustainable, smart cities of the future that will allow those who live and work there to thrive for generations to come."

The prospect of the partnership was lauded by Mayor Xie Jianhui, vice mayor of Changsha, Hunan Province

"The Meixi Lake project is central to the success of the West Changsha Pioneer Zone. Our vision for the Meixi Lake District is to create a harmonious society that integrates innovative technology with environmental and sustainable design. The involvement of Gale International, a world-class city-scale developer, and Cisco, a leader in intelligent systems, will ensure that the Meixi Lake District will become a world-class city right here in Changsha, the heart of Hunan Province."

Links / URLs:

Cisco's Smart+Connected Communities provides sustainable economic opportunities through energy innovations
http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2009/prod_070109b.html
GIFT takes off: MoU with Cisco
http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2009/prod_060409c.html
Cisco to Help Establish 'Global Center for Intelligent Urbanisation' In South Korea's Songdo International Business District
http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2009/prod_041609b.html
South Korea and Cisco Work to Foster Intelligent Urbanisation
http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2009/prod_041509d.html
Cisco and Metropolis Collaborate to Develop Sustainable Intelligent Cities
http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2009/prod_030909.html
Cisco and Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) sign MoU in Korea
http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2009/prod_021209d.html
Cisco Unveils "Intelligent Urbanisation" Global Blueprint
http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2009/prod_021209e.html
Everything connected to the network can be greener with Cisco EnergyWise
http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2009/prod_012709.html
Cisco globalisation perspectives:
http://newsroom.cisco.com/globalisation
Follow Cisco on Twitter
http://twitter.com/CiscoSystems

Tags / Keywords:

Cisco, Smart+Connected Communities, Smart, Connected, Communities, Smart Connected Buildings, Songdo IBD, Incheon, IFEZ, Meixi Lake District, Connected Urban Development, sustainability, green, globalisation, globalization, urbanisation, urbanization, sustainable, environment, economic development, Wim Elfrink, Gale International, Stan Gale, urban services, network, platform, real estate, safety and security, transportation, utilities, government, education, health care and sports.

RSS Feed for Cisco: http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/rss.html

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.

# # #

Cisco, the Cisco logo and Cisco Systems are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. This document is Cisco Public Information.

A Premiere Park, Songdo Central Park Completed

information@galeintl.com () — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST

Cisco to Help Establish 'Global Center for Intelligent Urbanisation' in South Korea's Songdo International Business District

information@galeintl.com () — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EST

Riverstone Announced as Shopping Center's Official Name

information@galeintl.com () — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EST

South Korea's Songdo International Business District Sets Global Standard as ‘Eco-City'

information@galeintl.com () — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST

Jack Nicklaus Visits Namesake Course in Songdo International Business District

information@galeintl.com () — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST

Otis Elevator Korea to Locate Operations in Northeast Asia Trade Tower in Songdo International Business District

information@galeintl.com () — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST

Songdo Convensia Convention Center is New Asian Landmark

information@galeintl.com () — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST

$315 Million Cultural Complex Breaks Ground in South Korea's Songdo International Business District

information@galeintl.com () — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST