Dublin Free Wi-Fi Plans Blocked by EU Ruling
January 10, 2008 Posted by Stephen Hilton in : Wireless, Europe, Connecting Bristol , add a commentDublin City Council’s plans to deliver free city Wi-Fi have been dashed by an EU ruling that the project is in breach of state aid rules.
The Sinn Fein Dublin MEP Mary Lou McDonald is reported as saying that ‘the decision is another example of EU policy making negatively impacting on member states national interests’ Clearly the decision is something of a blow!
Connecting Bristol presented our own work in this area to a range of Dublin City councillors and officers some time ago. The Dublin Institute of Technology arranged the exchange and it is good to see that other Dublin programmes appear to be progressing well. For example, the ICING project, which is looking at the real time reporting of street repairs and problems using accessible technologies.
Can you help us brand Bristol's Wi-Fi Network?
November 8, 2007 Posted by Stephen Hilton in : Wireless, Bristol, Connecting Bristol , 11 commentsBristol has a reputation as a wireless pioneer. The City Council and City Space Ltd. launched “Street Net” in 2003, at the time creating the UK’s largest street-level Wi-Fi network. Bristol Wireless is a leading provider of community wireless networks.
In recent years, many millions of people have bought wireless laptops, PDA’s, mobile phones or portable games consoles. The prevalence of wireless technologies is changing how people interact with information and services, be it for work, study or leisure. You will know that people no longer have to be sat at a desk to access the Internet and emails, or be in front of a TV to watch programmes. Accessing and creating content whenever you want and wherever you happen to be is where wireless technologies are leaded – and millions of people are following fast.
Connecting Bristol’s aim is to create a vibrant, interactive, wireless ‘Intranet for the city’ that provides mobile Wi-Fi access to information and services, including council and public services, for people who are on the move in and around the city. This includes, tourists: business travellers; council customers; students; shoppers; mobile workers and city centre residents.
So what would you call such a network? Street Net no longer fits, as with the newly launched hot spot at the Council House, we are increasingly interested in bringing connectivity inside. We note the newly launched BT Birmingham FIZ (Free Information Zone)… but feel certain that Bristol can come up with something more creative and apt. So, what do you think? All suggestions welcome here or by email to stephen@connectingbristol.org If we get a really good suggestion I am sure we can find some sort of prize.
MySpace Calls For Reinforcements
July 27, 2007 Posted by Matt in : Bristol, Community Media, Connecting SW Conference, Connecting Bristol , 1 comment so farMySpace has denied that the decision to refresh their PR provision has come about due to the pressure it faces from rival Facebook, who are rapidly gaining in popularity. Whilst MySpace still receives a greater number of hits than Facebook, this month Facebook has overtaken MySpace in the number of web searches of its name.
A recent article in the Guardian would have made worrying reading for MySpace – London has overtaken Toronto to become the biggest network on Facebook, with members listed in London now numbering 790,615, which is almost a twofold increase since May. Its userbase, growing at an overall rate of 3%, is growing by 6% a week in London.
Figures for the year to June show that the three main social networking sites have all seen huge growth, with MySpace recording the biggest audience -10.76 million unique users, an increase of 149% - but Facebook are fast catching up. Its UK traffic rose from just 268,000 unique users in June 2006 to 6.01 million in June 2007 – an increase of 2,143%
On the other hand, perhaps MySpace are to be believed when they say that their decision to put the PR account out to tender was “absolutely not” a response to Facebook’s increasing popularity: see this PR faux pas.
Momentum Group Meeting Notes 23.05.07
May 23, 2007 Posted by Clare in : Bristol, Momentum, Connecting Bristol , 1 comment so farLive notes from the Momentum Meeting
5.15pm
Stephen Hilton introduced the evening “tonight is about stopping looking back and moving forward to what the city will now do”.
5.20pm
Stephen Dodson, Director of the Digital Challenge Programme (not a Digital Challenge Judge!):
The transparency, energy and creativity of the Connecting Bristol bid was hugely impressive – this is my fourth visit to Bristol and we want to help take Connecting Bristol forward. (more…)
