https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
    • Latest videos
    • Product Guides
  • Resources & Events
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
    • Latest videos
    • Product Guides
  • Resources/Events
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers/eBooks
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
  • Magazine
acc.com


Teleports: hubs of intelligent cities

Teleports: hubs of intelligent cities

A recent survey of economic development officials revealed that 87 percent of respondents agreed that information technology and communications are "very
  • Written by Louis Zacharilla
  • 1st March 1998

A recent survey of economic development officials revealed that 87 percent of respondents agreed that information technology and communications are “very important” to the future of their communities. However, only 20 percent are confident that their local leaders know how to make their communities prosper in the Information Age. According to experts in the information technology and economic development fields, the first step for making a community prosper is the creation of a broadband hub or “teleport.” Teleports provide users with shared access to high-speed telecommunications and other services throughout the world. They are vital to performance and delivery of governmental services, from 911 networks to the monitoring and administration of social services. Teleports can attract to cities industries that will prosper in decades ahead. For example, New York City, site of the world’s first teleport, had gone through a wrenching fiscal crisis that brought it to the brink of insolvency in the late 1970s. As a result, the city was not prepared to meet the growing demands of the Information Age. The city’s business and political leaders agreed that information technology and communications were vital to the future of the city’s media and financial services industries.

After years of study, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey decided to invest $70 million to develop the infrastructure for a new, high-tech office park on Staten Island. The rationale was to use information technology to lure tenants to the site, says John Jung, a board director for the World Teleport Association.

If the site could offer something that would allow companies to reduce the cost of doing business and provide them with the right technology, they would use it.

“If a new ‘port’ could be developed outside Manhattan, businesses might locate there to do things they could never afford to do in Manhattan,” says Jung, who is now chief executive officer of CED.

Because it could reduce the cost of doing business, Merrill Lynch built its worldwide data center on Staten Island, following the construction. Telehouse, a Japanese company partly owned by AT&T, built a facility to house and operate mainframe computers and telephone switches for customers. The Teleport Communications Group, created by Merrill Lynch and Western Union, developed the communications infrastructure for the park.

The new company built a satellite “infield” in the park that connected to a master control center. The center operates a fiber-optic network connecting all the new buildings in the teleport park and extends into Manhattan and Brooklyn. Primarily, the infrastructure allows companies to operate their mainframe data centers or have secure sites for servers and vital network equipment.

The Port Authority began to promote the unique characteristics of the world’s very first teleport to businesses that required access to broadband communications. It’s $70 million gamble has paid off and continues to deliver dividends. Today there are five fully leased buildings at the Staten Island site with rent above market rates. More than 2,100 people are employed in new jobs at the teleport, in industries including computer operations, communications, security, building services, back office functions and telecommunications.

The New York City teleport model is being followed in cities worldwide. In fact, experts say there may be as many as 200 of these new ports in existence by the year 2005.

Tags:

Most Recent


  • Amid spike, federal transportation department launches initiative to curb traffic-related deaths
    While stay-at-home orders might be a thing of the past, the pandemic’s impact is still felt daily through expectations to socially distance, the prevalence of masks in high risk areas like hospitals, and the stubbornly high annual rate of traffic-related deaths. Traffic fatalities hit a 16-year high in 2021, and preliminary data points to a […]
  • businesses
    Engaging businesses to strengthen your community
    A prosperous business community epitomizes effective city leadership and fuels economic growth. But to fully understand and address specific needs within your community, cities must engage with local stakeholders and businesses to cultivate and maintain a strong business ecosystem. Business engagement plays an essential role in a city’s retention of businesses, helping to foster organic […]
  • Report: Some public employees face financial hardship; comprehensive pay packages proved 'a pathway toward economic security'
    Many who work in public service, in professions that center around helping others, are themselves struggling to make ends meet and face financial hardship. Addressing these needs, the public employers they work for are well positioned to help them out, according to a report published Thursday by the MissionSquare Research Institute, “Examining the Financial Wellbeing […]
  • Strategic Budgeting for Modern Government
    Your government’s budget is the most crucial policy document that you create. Make every tax dollar count with these best practices for cities and counties.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Arbor Day Foundation and Intrinsyx Environmental offer natural solution to clean up industrial contamination in cities and towns
  • MS-ISAC members get free access to Deloitte’s Cyber Detect and Respond Portal to help respond to cyber threats
  • Deltek releases 12th annual Clarity Government Contracting Report
  • How local governments can improve bridge projects through strategic engagement

White papers


Modernizing government services for today’s resident expectations

24th January 2023

Preparing Your Community Now for the Next Generation of Older Adults

18th October 2022

Helping Government Fleets Achieve Their Goals

30th September 2022
view all

Webinars


How To: Evaluate Digital Government Service Delivery Technologies

23rd January 2023

Using Technology to Enhance Communications

29th November 2022

Learn the benefits of transforming and automating your Contract Management process

4th November 2022
view all

PODCAST


Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020

Young Leaders Episode 2 – Christian Williams – Development Services Planner, Goodyear, Ariz.

1st July 2020
view all

GALLERIES


These 10 American cities are well prepared for a tech-based future

1st February 2023

Report: While remote work is causing offices to empty out, walkable cities are still in high demand

26th January 2023

10 American cities with a great downtown

24th January 2023
view all

Twitter


AmerCityCounty

Amid spike, federal transportation department launches initiative to curb traffic-related deaths dlvr.it/Shvs31

3rd February 2023
AmerCityCounty

Engaging businesses to strengthen your community dlvr.it/ShvZn0

3rd February 2023
AmerCityCounty

Report: Some public employees face financial hardship; comprehensive pay packages proved ‘a pathway toward economic… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

2nd February 2023
AmerCityCounty

Strategic Budgeting for Modern Government dlvr.it/ShrHmD

2nd February 2023
AmerCityCounty

These 10 American cities are well prepared for a tech-based future dlvr.it/Shp7sH

1st February 2023
AmerCityCounty

How public health can build a “one health” infrastructure for the future dlvr.it/ShnlKm

1st February 2023
AmerCityCounty

Four Steps to Better Municipal Fleet Fuel Purchasing dlvr.it/ShnbWP

1st February 2023
AmerCityCounty

Report: With increase popularity of e-bikes and e-scooters, there’s a need for ‘safe and connected infrastructure’ dlvr.it/ShlKmJ

31st January 2023

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.