Integration Strategies for Smart City Infrastructures Considering Social Acceptance: Effects of Urban Integrated Infrastructures on their Social Acceptance using the Example of 5G Small Cells in Germany

Instances of protest and vandalism targeting emerging technologies for smart cities, such as 5G cellphone masts, are evident across diverse regions worldwide. This paper explores the urban integration of 5G infrastructures as a means to influence acceptance of smart city technologies in the urban fabric and therefore reduce opposition and accelerate expansion of technical infrastructure. Employing a mixed-method approach, including geospatial analysis, standardized surveys, design comparisons, and expert interviews, it reveals that while urban integration can impact acceptance, it's only part of a socially accepted technology and has to be combined with other approaches. Municipalities play a pivotal role in advancing integrated infrastructures, requiring a combination of spatial and communicative strategies to align technological advancements with societal expectations for sustainable urban development. The urban integration of smart city infrastructures should not be perceived as a tool for deliberate acceptance management, but rather as a component aimed at preserving and shaping appealing urban spaces.