UK's First 'Next Generation' Community
17th November 2008
A housing co-operative is set to establish the first ‘next generation’ communications community in Britain.
New homes currently being constructed for West Whitlawburn Housing Co- operative in Cambuslang, Glasgow, are having fibre optic cable installed that will provide next generation broadband access. The housing provider is also setting up a communication co-operative – owned and managed entirely by the community it serves – that will provide TV, phone and internet services at reduced costs in comparison with major providers.
Whitcomm Co-operative was launched at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on Thursday, 13th November, 2008, and aims to reduce digital exclusion that compounds social exclusion. Through Whitcomm low-income families will be able to access the services that the majority of people take for granted.
Paul Farrell, WWHC Director, and James Kelly, MSP, at the Whitcomm launch.
James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow Rutherglen, says: “I am delighted to be able to support the Whitlawburn Community Communication Co-operative. The launch of this initiative offering communication packages at reduced prices in comparison to major providers is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of Director, Paul Farrell, and his staff and Anne Anderson, Chair of WWHC, and the committee.
“This is a unique project which seeks to distribute the power of the internet to the local community in Whitlawburn.
“I am sure this ground breaking scheme will be followed by many other communities in Scotland. It illustrates powerfully the benefits of working together to overcome social exclusion.”
The 21st century technology uses fibre optic cables that provide the next generation broadband, allowing access to the internet at speeds of up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps).
It provides consumers with the infrastructure for the super-fast net connections creating a range of new applications including on-demand high definition (HD) television, DVD quality film downloads in minutes, online video messaging, CCTV home surveillance and high definition interactive games. West Whitlawburn Housing Co-operative already has a computer suite and plan to increase community based computer courses so that the most vulnerable people can use the technology to its full potential.
Once the infrastructure is in place, the plan is to develop a ‘Community Portal’ that will be a platform over which the community will be able to access voluntary and statutory services in their own homes. In turn, these services will be able to utilise the new technology to respond to the changing needs of the community and the individuals living there.
Whitcomm project launch team.
WWHC plan to use the project as a pilot with a view to promoting the model of community owned technology to other socially and digitally excluded communities around the UK. Paul Farrell, Director of WWHC, says: “This is a really exciting development for our housing co-operative and gives tenants, perhaps currently excluded from first generation broadband, the potential to leapfrog straight to the next generation technology.”
The fibre will be used initially to connect the 100 new homes currently under construction but plans are being developed to roll the service out to the co- operative’s 650 homes. Tenant Michael Appleford can’t wait for his new home to be ready. He has been confined to a wheelchair since breaking his back in a motorcycle accident 20 years ago.
A former World Disabled Water Ski Champion, Michael is very active and drives his own car but he also is part of a worldwide games community. He says: “Frankly, we just can’t keep up in this country because gamesters in Scandinavia and France have much greater speeds.
“Fibre optic connection will be great for me in the games sphere but in the longer term it also offers very positive health benefits.
“For example, certain weather conditions don’t help me so instead of going out to the doctor I could through the next generation technology have a consultation in my home that does not require the doctor to leave the surgery. “This really is a huge development. There is a lot more to playing games on line than people realise. You become part of a much wider community who look to see you on line and are concerned when you’re not, a bit like neighbours looking out for each other.”