Posted on Tuesday 16th October 2018
People are being urged to find out how they can improve their day-to-day living through digital technology and getting connected during national Get Online Week.
The awareness week, which runs from Monday October 15 to Sunday October 21, aims to improve social inclusion for all ages through greater use of technology. Run by the Good Things Foundation charity, the campaign has a range of partners, including the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
During the week, the county council’s Superfast Staffordshire broadband team will continue to encourage residents to find out more about the service and advising how they can get connected.
They will also be visiting Wombourne library in South Staffordshire next Thursday October 18 at a Get Online Week event. The library has been chosen by the Good Things Foundation to host a demonstration of Freeview Play, which enables people to use catch-up television.
In South Staffordshire 75 cabinets have been installed as part of the programme with the latest three being in the village of Weston-under-Lizard. These cabinets are serving around 43,500 properties across the district with broadband speeds of over 24 Mbps. South Staffordshire now has 91.93 per cent coverage.
People can find out about coverage in their area and how to connect at Superfast Staffordshire.
They can find out more about events next week at Get Online Week
Staffordshire County Council’s economic growth leader Mark Winnington said:
Enabling as many people of all ages to be using digital technology to improve day-to day living is vitally important. It means people are connected to the services they need – from health to education and leisure. Get Online Week gives us another opportunity to really promote the fact that getting connected can make a difference to people’s lives and to business productivity.
Our Superfast Staffordshire programme has achieved a great deal in ensuring over 95 per cent of properties in the county are now able to connect to superfast broadband.
We’re really urging people now to contact a broadband provider and get connected.
People often think that switching to superfast broadband will be costly though this is not always the case. There are some really competitive deals if people shop around and they may end up paying the same amount as they do currently.
We are determined now to continue our drive to enable remaining properties to get connected. We’re using a combination of technologies and co-funding solutions to ensure even residents and businesses in the smallest, most remote parts of our county have access to this essential technology.”