[Conet] Broadband and the Social Economy

[Mark Gavin]

Hi folks!

I'm loking for a little help, and the benefit of your collective 
experience and expertise.

I am working on a project funded under Northern Ireland's element of the 
Broadband Fund. The project is looking at the usefulness and 
applicability of broadband services to social economy organisations. 
These are defined as organisations which exist for a reason other than 
just to make a profit, but who have a trading or contracting element to 
their work.

I am trying to put together a paper on best practice in use of the 
internet and broadband from other parts of the UK and Europe. I would 
appreciate any examples you might point me towards. This could be 
innovative uses of the technology, uses which really made a difference 
in terms of efficiency or effectiveness of service delivery, innovative 
web-sites or services, and so on.

We are trying to measure the benefit of broadband over dial-up internet, 
rather than measuring whether broadband is better than a bit of string 
and two bean tins, so any examples that indicate uses that are enhanced 
by increased bandwidth would be particularly interesting. For example, 
an organisation here providing hostel accommodation in different 
locations are using the internet to connect staff in those locations 
using web-cams.

Best wishes to all, and thanks for your help.

Mark

-- 
Mark Gavin, BA(Hons), MSc,
Gavin Originals - Excellence in Consultancy Services
Management Consultancy - Database Integration - Web Development - IT Services
52 Beechill Park West, Belfast, BT8 6NW
T: 028 9096 6376 M: 077 4814 8841 E: mark@gavinoriginals.com
http://www.gavinoriginals.com