Streets lights are among a city's most vital assets, providing secure roads, inviting public areas, and enhanced security in homes, businesses, and city centers. They're usually very costly to operate, however, and they use a lot of energy—almost 40 percent of a city's electricity spending. Most streetlight manufacturers haven't leveraged technology to address these issues, but as the cost of electricity continues to rise, it's becoming crucial that they do so. Cities that create managed streetlight networks can not only offer additional services but also save energy and reduce their maintenance budgets, thus increasing their value as municipal assets.

The expenses incurred other than the obvious electricity costs for operating a streetlight network are