Stockport Council has signed up to a new high speed network providing faster access to IT systems which will enhance service delivery for borough residents.
Council employees at 171 sites across the borough including libraries and schools will now benefit from remote access to the new IT systems.
The speed of the new network is fundamental to ensuring excellent service delivery for residents including the ability to pay for Council Tax online, accessing information for Housing Benefits, Planning Applications and Building Control, Waste Collection and Environmental Services.
The new network gives Council employees the flexibility to work from the location that best suits the needs of the community. Employees will be able to access information remotely and securely. They will also be able to ‘hotdesk’ from offices across the borough, increasing the amount of time they spend interacting with residents.
For example social workers will be able to spend more time visiting people in their homes as they’ll be able to update records and access crucial data from their laptops and mobile devices.
Councillor Martin Candler, Executive Member for Customer Focus, said: “This new technology will allow Council employees to work more flexibly and effectively to deliver even better services for residents. The Council has always been committed to exploring how technology can result in improved services and we are confident that this new system will make a real difference for residents.”
The new high speed network will be provided by Virgin Media Business. The project will include the delivery of a Virtual Private Network (VPN).It will connect Council sites including administrative buildings, libraries, schools, housing offices and works depots.
Lee Hull, Director of Public Sector at Virgin Media Business, said: “Stockport Council is a great example of how public sector organisations can cleverly use IT to drive flexibility, enable greater collaboration across different locations and provide a superior level of service to the local area. By investing in a network capable of meeting the changing demands of the public, councils across the UK can use technology to bring communities together.”
Stockport Council provides over 600 value for money services for residents. For more information on the Stockport Boost campaign visit www.stockport.gov.uk/boost (free internet access is available at all Stockport libraries).
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About Virgin Media Business
Virgin Media Business is the UK’s only telco with a nationwide fibre optic Next Generation Network. Launched in February 2010, the company aims to bring the Virgin philosophy to the business telecoms market. Providing innovative, high quality solutions built on brilliant customer service.
Virgin Media Business is the largest business-to-business brand in the Virgin group. With a strong product portfolio that includes its market leading Ethernet services. It uses its network asset in order to create bespoke tailored telecoms solutions for its customers. Employees are located at 40 offices across the UK, allowing Virgin Media Business to be closer to its customers in every sense.
Previously known as ntl:Telewest Business, organisations working with Virgin Media Business include London City Airport, Arqiva, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Partnership and South West Water.
About Virgin Media
With almost 10 million customers, Virgin Media is the UK's first quad-play provider of broadband, TV, phone and mobile.
The company is one of the largest residential broadband providers in the UK, using a unique fibre optic cable network to deliver next generation ultrafast internet access of up to 50Mb to just over half of all homes. Combined with a high speed ADSL service and mobile broadband products, Virgin Media is able to offer broadband internet access to virtually the entire country.
Virgin Media has the UK’s most advanced TV on demand service and is the only TV platform to carry BBC iPlayer. It is the second largest provider of pay TV, was the first to launch a high definition TV service and offers a high-specification, HD-ready V+ personal video recorder.
The company operates the most popular virtual mobile network in the UK which, when launched, was the world’s first such mobile phone service. It is also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the country.
Virgin Media also owns Virgin Media Television (VMtv) which runs seven entertainment channels, including Virgin1, LIVING, Bravo and Challenge. VMtv is a 50 per cent joint partner with BBC Worldwide in UKTV, which consists of ten channels including Dave, G.O.L.D., Watch and Alibi.
With operations based entirely in the UK, Virgin Media Inc. is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (VMED) and the London Stock Exchange (VMED).
For more information, go to http://www.virginmedia.com/
