The Malaga City Council, in collaboration with Huawei, has deployed free public Wi-Fi in one of the oldest public markets, located in the historic centre. This project, which has been financed by European funds, is part of the smart city strategy that the capital has underway.
Huawei has provided public Wi-Fi connections at the Atarazanas Market, a fresh produce market dating back to the 14th century. Stable Wi-Fi connections enable merchants to place online orders and use digital platforms for billing and payment. In addition, the free Wi-Fi provides a valuable new service to customers visiting the market, especially foreign tourists who would otherwise have to pay roaming charges.
Beyond mere convenience, Wi-Fi opens up new business opportunities for market vendors. Online connectivity allows them to operate outside of business hours and do business beyond their immediate geographic area, even selling products in other cities. In this sense, the expansion of Malaga’s Wi-Fi hotspot network will create new opportunities for entrepreneurs, encouraging them to create new businesses that stimulate the city’s economy and benefit its inhabitants.
“Access to free Wi-Fi is not only good for the market’s vendors, but also for the consumers who come here,” says Elisa Pérez de Siles, Councillor for Commerce at Málaga City Council. In the second episode of the three-part documentary series “Being Digi-Sapiens,” released on September 3 by Warner Bros and Discovery Channel, Councillor Pérez explains that comprehensive Wi-Fi coverage in 15 Málaga markets is just one part of a broader vision of a smart city.
“A butcher’s shop, a fishmonger’s shop and a fruit shop are usually quite analogue,” explains Alicia Izquierdo, Councillor for Innovation at Malaga City Council. “We have promoted the launch of an e-commerce platform ‘Marketplace’ where it is possible to buy online from home the products sold in municipal markets.” The city of Malaga adds, “continues to consolidate itself as a benchmark smart city in the country.”
In Episode 2 of the docuseries, a market vendor named Juan, who has worked at the market with his family since 1958, tells host Simone Giertz that recent improvements have allowed for online order processing and better tracking of incoming and outgoing shipments. Greater connectivity allows vendors to reach new customers, as well as improve the experience for those who come to the market.
Huawei has provided public Wi-Fi connections at the Atarazanas Market, a fresh produce market dating back to the 14th century
For César Yllera, Regional Manager of Huawei Enterprise Spain, this project “contributes to the combination of digitalisation and traditional lifestyles. Connectivity provides merchants with access to commercial platforms, allowing them to improve their sales capabilities and other aspects of their daily lives.”
“Being Digi-Sapiens” sees its host, Swedish inventor, roboticist and YouTuber Simone Giertz, as she travels around Europe to see how technology is transforming people’s everyday lives. In addition to Malaga, Simone visits a family-run winery in Germany where 5G enables farmers to monitor environmental conditions such as soil moisture and pest damage. She then heads to the Netherlands to visit one of Huawei’s main supply and logistics centres, where automated vehicles are piloted remotely by AI.
You can watch the documentary from this LINK.
