We had two years to install floodfill WiFi networks into 1,530 properties across 188 locations ...
SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES ARE OUR SPECIALITY.
T 01743 730100
Email: enquiries@socialtelecoms.org.uk
Social Telecoms CIC
Vichy House, 264a Monkmoor Road, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY2 5ST
QUESTIONS? CALL: 01743 730100
The Community WiFi Specialists
Since our formation in 2012, our social mission as a social enterprise has been to help landlords bridge the digital divide.
We've become specialists at designing, installing and maintaining WiFi networks in communities across the country.
Community WiFi from Social Telecoms CIC is a powerful tool that promotes digital inclusion by providing internet access to those who may not otherwise have it due to economic or geographical constraints.
Here's how it fosters digital inclusion in social housing communities.
- Reducing the Digital Divide:
- Economic Accessibility:
- Education and Literacy:
- Healthcare Access:
- Community Building and Empowerment:
- Promoting Innovation and Entrepreneurship:
- Broadening Access in Rural or Underserved Areas:
Reducing The Digital Divide
Access to the internet is increasingly necessary for participation in many aspects of modern society, including education, employment, and even social activities. However, there's a significant gap, known as the digital divide, between those who have easy, reliable internet access, and those who do not. By providing free or low-cost internet access, community WiFi projects help to reduce this digital divide in social housing communities.
Economic Accessibility
Community WiFi networks can be much more affordable than individual home internet subscriptions, making them accessible to lower-income individuals and families. By eliminating or reducing the financial barriers to internet access, these networks help more people participate in the digital economy, from online shopping to digital banking and remote work.
Education & Literacy
With the rise of online learning, internet access is increasingly critical for education. Community WiFi allows students of all ages to access educational resources, complete homework, and even take online classes. This is particularly crucial in areas where schools may not have sufficient internet access, or for students who don't have reliable internet at home.
Healthcare Access
Telehealth and telemedicine services are becoming increasingly prevalent. Having access to the internet can allow people to make online appointments, access health resources, and even meet with healthcare professionals virtually.
Community Building & Empowerment
Community WiFi networks often involve local residents in their planning, building, and maintenance, fostering a sense of community ownership and engagement. This can lead to increased digital literacy, as people learn not just how to use the internet, but also how it works.
Promoting Innovation & Entrepreneurship
With the access to information, resources, and online tools provided by community WiFi, individuals can learn new skills, start online businesses, or engage in other entrepreneurial activities. This can lead to local economic development and job creation.
Broadening Access
In many rural or underserved areas, internet service providers may not offer service due to the high costs of infrastructure development. Community WiFi can fill this gap, providing vital connectivity for these communities.
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A Framework For WiFi
Telecommunications Framework Agreement
- Lot 5
Community WiFi projects are not complicated and time-consuming for Social Telecoms. Here we explain the steps we take to develop WiFi connectivity projects for your communities.
01
Indicative Costs
For retrofit projects, a speedy, free-of-charge desktop exercise which provides you with indicative costs for flood-fill WiFi coverage at your sites.
Simply provide us with the following information to help us:
- Site name, address and postcode. Send as many as you like.
- How many properties make up the site.
- The age-group of the residents. Are they young? The over-55's, General Needs etc.
02
Onsite Surveys
The indicative costs have found you and your exec team favourably and you have decided a budget is available for a Community WiFi project. Perhaps you have a smaller group of sites you'd like to act as a pilot? These can be surveyed first by our friendly engineers, or we can survey as many sites as you'd like us to.
With boots on ground, Social Telecoms' engineers will visit the sites in turn, and with your onsite resources on hand to assist with access to key areas of the buildings, we'll collect the information we need to design the networks.
Our aim is to provide strong, stable coverage to every area of the building, ensuring your current and future residents have a satisfying online experience for years to come.
03
Proposal & Project Plan
We'll provide you with a detailed proposal with confirmed pricing, timescales and internet speeds expected.
If we've come away from the survey with several options, we'll present these to you in the proposal.
For instance, we'll highlight and explain the reasoning behind more expensive solutions, and we may well recommend the lower-cost option for the project.
Remember, every building is different and can impact the way WiFi signals reach your users' devices from the Access Points we install. From the building's general layout, including the quantity and proximity of corners to the properties, and the size of the building; to the make-up of the materials used in the construction of the building.
The best value networks are those which are easiest to install into, using the least amount of hardware.
04
Project Deployment
Contracts are signed, and the project is created for our project management team to take ownership of. Our friendly team of engineers work efficiently and keep their social distance from residents and staff.
We'll hand over a fully functioning network with signal-strength heatmaps. Your residents, their visitors, your staff and any smart-home technology you have can have unrestricted (or content-controlled) access to the web.