North Lincolnshire installs voice recording solution from Sinclair Voicenet
North Lincolnshire Council has awarded Sinclair Voicenet a contract to supply and install a voice recording solution. The firm will be installing a NICE interaction recording system to capture, manage and store calls for its CCTV and IT solution centres. The new system replaces an existing legacy installation and will installed in a virtual environment enabling the council to record calls to the two departments, each of which have separate telephone platforms and are based at different locations. Rachel Collins, Principal IT Officer at North Lincolnshire, said: "We now have a platform that gives us the flexibility to extend voice recording to other departments as required regardless of telephone system used. The new system will form a key part of our ongoing strategy to move towards a fully unified communications service." The new system will record calls to the CCTV Centre where an assisted living platform monitors telecare services throughout the borough. The NICE interaction recording solution will provide operators with integrated search and replay of stored recordings, enabling the delivery of a rapid response to every call for assistance. Sinclair Voicenet will also be installing a NICE interaction recording system at the IT Solutions Centre, which supports internal council members. The system will be installed to record IP-based telephone calls received through the department's telephony platform. Sinclair Voicenet is also providing secure, centralised data storage allowing the council to store recordings from the CCTV and IT Solutions Centre for seven years and six months respectively.
Pictured: North Lincolnshire County Council headquarters
Sinclair Voicenet: www.sinclairvoicenet.co.uk
Edinburgh set to pick GOWEX for city centre Wi-Fi
Edinburgh City Council is set to approve the award of a 10 year contract to Wi-Fi provider GOWEX to bring free high-speed Wi-Fi to the city this summer. The concession contract, under final consideration this week, will see Edinburgh offering free megabyte Wi-Fi in the city centre and other local town centres. GOWEX will be installing the wireless network equipment with the first phase in the city centre to be delivered ready for the start of this year's summer festivals. Ken Hay, Chair of Festivals Edinburgh, said: "The Edinburgh Festivals know that the increasing use of mobile devices by residents and visitors in any city means that easy access to wi-fi is now a basic expectation. The news that Edinburgh is making wi-fi freely available to visitors and residents in time for the August Festivals is tremendous. This new service will not only boost access to the shows and information we provide, but also allow visitors to fully share their own unique experiences on social media, enhancing the profile of Edinburgh around the globe as a must-see destination." The creation of the wireless network is one project in the Connected Capital Programme which aims to make Edinburgh one of the best connected cities in Britain. Other projects in progress include free Wi-Fi on trams, Lothian Buses and in key public buildings. The delivery of the wireless network is based on a concession model which exchanges exclusive rights of access to council assets such as buildings, lampposts, and CCTV columns. In return GOWEX will build and run the network and generate income through advertising and deals with Mobile Network Operators to offload data and improve their 3G and 4G signals in the city.
GOWEX: www.gowex.com/en/
Solihull joins Rental Exchange to boost tenant credit history
Solihull Community Housing, which runs the area's housing service for Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, has signed up to sharing rental payment information with the Rental Exchange, a partnership between Experian and Big Issue Invest, the investment arm of Big Issue. By sharing information on how its tenants pay their rent, Solihull Community Housing will be able to play a key role in potentially strengthening the credit histories of over 10,000 tenants, helping them gain access to more affordable credit. It will also enable tenants to prove their identity easily and quickly online to help them, for example, access current accounts and insurance. An initial survey of their tenants revealed that most were already keen to have their rent payment history included in their credit reports to help strengthen their credit scores. This was particularly true for the younger generations - 76 per cent of 18 to 45 year olds. Chris Deery, Head of ICT at Solihull Community Housing, said: "As well as often having to make do with the more expensive credit options, so many housing tenants currently struggle to access a range of basic services, such as opening a bank account or taking out insurance, simply because organisations cannot identify them electronically. The majority of our tenants pay their rent regularly and on time, and there is currently no recognition for paying this major commitment." Solihull Community Housing is one of 185 housing providers now engaged with the Rental Exchange, an Experian and Big Issue Invest initiative to help boost tenants' credit ratings. Social housing tenants are notified by their housing providers before the information is shared and must also give consent for the information to be accessed, for example, when they apply for credit.
Rental Exchange: www.experian.co.uk/rental-exchange/
