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EU considering universal broadband move

September 29, 2008 Posted by Kevin in : Bristol , 3 comments

Every three years the European Commission conducts a review of it’s Universal Service Obligations (USO). The USO outlines the telecommunications standards and services that all EU citizens can expect. The USO also states that if a majority of EU citizens are able to make use of a particular telecoms service, then the policy is to ensure that that service should be available to all citizens across Europe.

Figures from the EC suggest that from 2003-2007 broadband use in member nations tripled to 36% of households and had an annual growth rate of 20%. The commission has also highlighted considerable gaps in provision, notably between Denmark, Luxembourg and Belgium where there is 100% coverage, and Romania where it is closer to 40%.

The review will consider whether the current USO needs to be re-written to force telecoms firms to extend broadband to those areas competition will leave unserved.

Viviane Reding, the EU Telecoms Commissioner announced the review saying, “High-speed internet is the passport to the Information Society and an essential condition for economic growth. This is why it is this Commission’s policy to make broadband internet for all Europeans happen by 2010.”

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PM announces New Educational Technology Allowances

September 23, 2008 Posted by Kevin in : Bristol , 2 comments

In his keynote speech to the Labour Party Conference in Manchester this afternoon Gordon Brown unveiled a £300m scheme aimed at ensuring every child in the country has access to a PC and connectivity at home.

There are currently 1.4 million school pupils who don’t have internet access from home. The Prime Minister said “We want to enable all families to use the internet to link back to their children’s school….we will fund over a million extra families to get online, on the way to our ambition of Britain leading the world with more of our people than any other major economy able to access the internet and broadband.”.

The allowances will be worth up to £700 per household to pay for broadband connectivity, technical support and equipment.

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Green ICT in Practice

September 3, 2008 Posted by Stephen Hilton in : Bristol, Green ICT , add a comment

Gary Hird, graduate of the Cranfield IT Leadership Programme and a member of the IT Leadership Forum has just written a book on Green IT in Practice

it is available from Amazon

All author royalties are being donated to charity: 50% to an environmental charity called Global Action Plan, and 50% to the charity Myositis Support Group

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Reminder: Innovation in the Community Awards 2008

Posted by Kevin in : Bristol , add a comment

The deadline is approaching for the TalkTalk Innovation in the Community Awards enables charity and community groups throughout the UK to harness the power of the Internet. 30 winners will receive cash grants of £2,000 each to fund technology related projects, as well as technology equipment to help them make the most of the Internet. Applications are invited up to 30 September 2008. Winners will be notified by 25 October 2008. The categories are;

Application forms and further instructions are available from the TalkTalk website.

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