Service providers have been asked to express interest on providing updated street furniture in the City of Sydney with digital displays and modernised technology.

The street furniture contracts for the local government area are due to expire in mid-2019 and with initial agreements in place since 1998 this would be the first major update in 20 years.

The current contract is held by JCDecaux and it is expected to be hotly contested when it goes to market.

The Sydney council has asked service providers for expressions of interest, open until February 6, with plans to award contracts for the Wifi service and street furniture by mid-2018.

The new furniture would then be rolled out from 2019 onwards.

In particular, the City hopes to get free public WiFi and a digital take on public furniture, such as bus shelters with real-time digital information. There would also be a complete overhaul for kiosks, benches, bins and automatic public toilets.

There is also the possibility for joint venture ideas to be submitted.

This could be of interest to major telecommunications companies such as Telstra.

It has already started rolling out its next generation of phone booths in its own major update since the 1980s, in partnership with JC Decaux. These new kiosks include advertising panels, digital interactive information screens and free WiFi.

Telstra also partnered with Western Australia's City of Joondalup in mid-2017 on a smart cities trial, including smart bins, a smart car park and using Internet of Things technology to measure temperature, noise and other environmental factors.

In 2016, JCDecaux launched 'Live Touch', the first digital, interactive out-of-home information and content touchscreens and has been ramping up its tech offerings.

It's understood interest from overseas companies is also expected, with a broad range of service providers potentially able to make a pitch to the local government.

This could include specific street furniture providers, with some already able to supply WiFi hotspots within their installations.

"This is a unique opportunity to invest in new street furniture with a consistent style and using technologies to make it easier for people to stay informed and find their way around our city," Ms Moore said.

"We want to make sure no one is left behind in this shift to a digital future, so we're looking for innovative local and international providers with new ideas to deliver fast and free public WiFi."

The cost of bringing in new street furniture items was estimated as less than the cost of retaining and maintaining the existing street furniture.

Advertising panels would be allowed on some of the street furniture, though still subject to development consent, with the revenue of the advertising used to supply and maintain the furniture.

Some of this advertising would be specifically used to market cultural and arts events.

Jennifer Duke