Free Wi-Fi coming to centres in Downpatrick, Ballynahinch and Newcastle.[/caption]
A Down District Council official said: “The Wi-Fi will provide free controlled access to the internet for all those visiting the town centres, with access to inappropriate web sites blocked through a content filtering mechanism and download limits enforced. xa0Users would need to register initially to use the network and they would need to agree to the terms and conditions which would include a fair usage policy. xa0Follow up usage would be through a simple log on process rather than re-registration.
“The Department for Social Development has agreed to fund the installation of this free Wi-Fi system in each of Down district’s three main towns, Ballynahinch, Downpatrick and Newcastle, with the ongoing maintenance and hosting costs to be covered by Down District Council.
“The system which will be installed by WIFI Spark and will cover the main retail and tourist areas of the 3 main towns, through a series of access points located across the town centres. xa0It is expected to have the access points installed by the end of March 2013, with the system going live to the public in mid-April following a series of tests.”
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McGrath Welcomes New Wave of Technology To District
The Features of the Proposed WIFI
·* xa0Controlled Bandwidth (to prevent users from monopolising all the bandwidth e.g. downloading xa0movies) * xa0Content monitoring (prevents access to inappropriate web sites) * xa024/7 helpdesk * xa0Rapid response times to outage or other network issues * xa0Comprehensive usage statistics (no. of log-ins, areas of use, timing, sites visited) to guide future marketing and monitor footfall * xa0Management of Introductory Page – Utilising the DDC brand and associated brands as required * xa0Ensure there are no security threats to the existing network* * *
Potential Benefits to Local Economy
There are many benefits to the local community and economy. * xa0Retail Development: Retailers can publish promotions for local shoppers. xa0Both national and local retailers benefit from technology that attracts and retains new customers. xa0Free Town Centre Wi-Fi offers a unique selling point for retailers. xa0Footfall can be increased with mobile vouchers for shops, cafés, hotels or restaurants. * xa0Tourism: Visitors can be attracted to tourist, cultural and entertainment venues. Commercial opportunities will arise through advertising promotions and events. Interactive tour guides can enhance visitor experience and encourage more visitors. * xa0Economic Development and Regeneration: A modern and flexible infrastructure supports modern businesses. xa0It sends a positive signal to inward investors that could support training, education and other community services. * xa0Social and Digital Inclusion: Free Wi-Fi could be a channel for digitally excluded communities that do not have the internet in their homes. xa0Many younger members of this group have smartphones with a Wi-Fi capability (projected 75% by 2014). xa0Community engagement becomes possible through free access to this proposed portal.Potential Benefits to Down District Council
In addition to the benefits to the local economy, the use of free Wi-FI can offer a channel shift of Council services. Digitally and social excluded people are often the greatest users of council services. xa0Easy access to council content and information will help to bridge the “digital divide”, shifting some service delivery to more efficient channels. Official UK government figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in September 2011 help prove this too:Reasons for using the Internet to interact with public authorities, UK, 2011 | |||
| xa0Per cent | Men | Women | All |
| Obtaining information from public authorities | 35 | 29 | 32 |
| Downloading official forms | 30 | 22 | 26 |
| Submitting completed forms | 31 | 23 | 27 |
| Other services | 51 | 60 | 56 |
