Wireless Broadband access available at new Business Touchdown Hub
MP opens new business facility for the Isle of Wight
Today saw the opening of a brand new facility for business users at the Isle of Wight Economic Partnership’s Innovation Centre.
Andrew Turner MP toured the new site – which will offer business lounge facilities complete with high speed wireless broadband (Wi-Fi) access from BT, business services (such as printing and photocopying), teas and coffees and access to meeting rooms for more formal appointments. The hub will ensure that the Isle of Wight has the same facilities that business people have come to expect in the UK’s major cities, putting the island on the map as a forward thinking place to do business.
The benefits of the Touchdown Hub are that business people can just drop in and use the facilities in a comfortable, professional environment – perfect for that wasted time between appointments or if you just need to catch up with emails while you’re out and about.
Graham Biss, acting chief executive of IWEP, said: "The Innovation Centre Business Hub provides a unique facility for local businesses and business visitors, demonstrating the island’s "connectedness" and making sure business people can work effectively and professionally."
Andrew Turner said: "It is really important that the island develops a reputation for making business as easy as possible and that we promote the kind of facilities that business people have come to expect."
The Touchdown Hub offers high speed, wireless broadband access (Wi-Fi) via BT Openzone. Users can connect to email, surf the internet and make VOIP calls from any Wi-Fi-enabled device, using a variety of voucher and BT Openzone subscription options. Package options are also available for regular users including hot desking available by the day, and a meeting room and boardroom facilities by the hour.
The Hub is the flagship for a pilot scheme which will install 40 new Wi-Fi hotspots across the Isle of Wight to increase wireless connectivity for residents, business people and visitors. The hotspots have been secured through IWEP’s Inspire project, in partnership with BT Openzone and will be installed to provide public access across the island from Cowes to Ventnor.
Peter Cowen, BT’s South East partnership director, said: "BT understands the importance of connectivity for business people and we are delighted to be working in partnership with IWEP to ensure the Island can offer a range of facilities to improve the business person’s experience on the Island – whether visiting or working here permanently.
"This complements our work with the South of England Regional Development Agency (SEEDA) and Work Wise to develop and deliver a truly connected region where a wi-fi hotspot is never more than five miles or ten minutes away and where flexible working is a true part of everyday business life."
Graham Biss continued: "We chose to work with BT because of their pedigree in this field. BT have been an excellent partner, they have provided much of the equipment free of charge as part of their own commitment to business and to the Island – we anticipate that this pilot scheme will encourage other outlets to install Wi-Fi for clients and this will open up a whole new market of customers and new opportunities for suppliers."
To find out more about the Innovation Centre Touchdown Hub visit www.iwep.com in the "About" section under the heading Innovation Centre or call us on 01983 550300.
The Touchdown Hub adds to BT’s hotspot estate in the UK and Ireland of more than 3,000 hotspots including railway stations, hotel chains, coffee shops, marinas, 12 city centres, plus hotspots provided by the BT FON Wi-Fi community, now with more than 100,000 members. These provide BT Openzone, BT FON, BT Office Anywhere and BT Fusion customers or casual users with a comfortable location to log in without wires. BT Openzone is also available at more than 50,000 sites worldwide though agreements with international roaming partners. See www.btopenzone.com for more information.
For more information contract Graham Biss, acting chief executive of the Isle of Wight Economic Partnership on 01983 535868 graham.biss@iwep.com