London leads as Europe’s number one smart city with more 5G towers, EV charging stations and green infrastructure. The study by ProptechOS also compared capital cities in Europe to the US.

London has been rated as Europe’s No 1 smart city in a new study by ProptechOS. England’s capital was named by the real estate firm as the best-prepared city for a smart future, with an overall score of 73.7 out of 100, edging out Amsterdam in second place and Berlin in third with Paris and Lisbon coming in fourth and fifth respectively. 

The study analyzed which cities had best adapted to emerging technologies and were prepared for a smarter future by looking at 100 capital cities in Europe and the US (capital and most populated)—it’s why Barcelona, known as the smart city leader, didn’t feature in the study. To decide the ranking, it took into consideration 11 key indicators of a smart city, as defined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Each factor was then grouped into one of three broader categories: technology infrastructure and connectivity, green infrastructure and technology-driven job markets. 

London not only ranked the number one European smart city but it earned more points in the green infrastructure category compared to US and European cities combined.

London: More 5G Towers and EV Charging Stations

Smart cities manage the use of sensors, data, analytics and more through the implementation of 5G, which makes such fast connection and action possible. EE launched the UK’s first 5G service in May 2019 and initially covered parts of London and other cities in the UK. London has since become the city with more 5G towers installed than any other European city included in the analysis, and its average broadband speed of 82.7mbps is better than two-thirds of those featured. Still, a city can concentrate on a hefty 5G network but if it doesn’t have any green infrastructure, it won’t be classified as smart. 

“The cities that will thrive in the future will be the ones best adapted to our new and greener ways …