Wallingford Library in Oxfordshire is the scene for today’s launch of the Mobile Broadband Bus; a new digital initiative by Three, as part of their commitment to the Race Online 2012 campaign.
The Mobile Broadband Bus was unveiled by UK Digital Champion, Martha Lane Fox, and the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, Ed Vaizey MP, and will offer people across the country mobile ‘Get Online’ days run by specialist trainers from UK online centres.
Wallingford Library in Oxfordshire is one of the many UK online centres, where the bus will be stopping off as it travels around the country, giving free internet advice and training, and showing people how they can use the internet to stay in touch with friends and family, search and apply for jobs, seek advice and save money by paying their bills online.
The Museums Libraries and Archives (MLA) has become an advocate of Race Online 2012 and is committed to getting half a million more people online through public libraries.
About Race Online:
The Race Online 'Networked Nation' manifesto sets out plans to inspire and encourage all UK citizens to enjoy the benefits of the web. Visit http://raceonline2012.org/manifesto
Martha Lane Fox was reappointed UK Digital Champion by the new government in June 2010. Her remit includes advising government how to provide better, more efficient public services online and accelerating efforts to help more people benefit from the power of the internet
The Race Online 2012 campaign was launched in March 2010. Already more than 600 partners have pledged to help more than 1.6 million new people get online by the end of the Olympic year
About UK online centres:
The UK online centres network was set up by government in 2000 to provide public access to computers and the internet
UK online centres’ manage a network of over 3,500 centres including Wallingford Library - providing help, support and access to over 2 million people each year
UK online centres manage ‘myguide’ a free online resource providing computer and internet courses for beginners
About Three:
Three is the first mobile operator to pledge its support to the Race Online 2012 scheme and to get more than 100,000 people online.