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A new revolution for councils and the community and it starts with Bracknell Forest in Berkshire. There services available are job hunting, bus or train timetables, doctor's appointments and local activities and events that are happening in the area. There is the also the service to look up contacts and opening times for the council and Citizens Advice Bureau. This service was created for those who do not have access to the internet but do have digital or cable TV in their home. This service is as available through mobile phones with internet assistance. This service will enable residents from the Bracknell area to find out information or book appointments quickly and easily. The service is clearly laid out with step by step directions to find the service you need. This service will help improve the digital inclusion levels in the area. It will also reduce telephone cues on council phone lines. This service seems to be the way forward, as more and more people have digital TV in their homes and it is a quicker and easy way to find the complete the task you have set out to do. Telephone services will still be available for those who do not have digital TV but the digital service will convenience many others. If the service works for Bracknell council it will not be long before other councils will use this service for their community. Harvest Housing association has a similar digital TV service, where tenants can pay bills through interactive TV. Each tenant will have their own payment reference which they put into TV service via the remote and the guided steps will take the payment from a credit or debit card.
Staff editor, Digital TV Section, September 2007 |
