Westminster City Council is to extend its wireless network to cover wider parts of London's West End offering remote working services to its staff, it announced on 24 May 2005. The authority's WiFi project, which had been running as a pilot in the Soho area, is now moving to its second phase which involves the development of a network infrastructure to be supplied by BT.
In an agreement which the authority says is the "first of its kind in the UK", BT will install a WiFi network across the borough supporting a range of services for residents, businesses, visitors and council staff. The scheme is part of project Nomad – the government's National Project for mobile working.
Services will include:
- CCTV coverage over a wider area of central London;
- Remote monitoring of noise levels and London streets;
- systems to improve the delivery of council service such as parking, licensing and environmental health inspections;
- BT Openzone WiFi hotspots for internet and email access;
- mobile working for council staff – covering positions from city guardians to environmental health officers and social workers.
Council staff will be able to use the network to access real time and historic documents from the corporate network as well as to file reports from their personal digital assistants (PDAs).
The council hopes the project will serve as a "showcase" for how a local authority can deliver the government's Gershon efficiency targets.
Councillor Simon Milton, leader of Westminster City Council said: "This is the first deal of its kind in the UK and will establish Westminster City Council as a world leader for technology and innovation.
"The wireless city will benefit those who live and work in Westminster by improving the street environment through reducing crime and disorder, improving the delivery and effectiveness of council services and enabling us to maintain low tax through delivering significant cost savings."
The Wireless City Partnership which runs the scheme comprises Westminster, BT, BTSkyNet, Intel, Cisco Systems, Capgemini, Vertex, and Telindus.
Quelle: KableNET, 24.05.2005
