Digital TV and the Digital Challenge

The ODPM's Digital Challenge (http://www.digitalchallenge.gov.uk) is a unique opportunity to create a technical area of excellence. The money available will give one region a head start in creating a community of the future, leading the way to:

"Create a country at ease in the digital world. Where all have the confidence to access the new services that are emerging, whether delivered by computer, mobile phone, digital television or any other device. To work towards achieving equitable access and remove the barriers to take-up..."(Connecting the UK Digital Strategy)

DigiTV (Kirklees MBC) provides technology and services that enable local authorities and their partners to deliver information and transactions onto all digital interactive TV platforms, as well as Kiosks and Mobile Phones.

DigiTV, the former National Project dedicated to investigating and enabling non-web e-channels for Local Government, maintains that Digital TV will be a key deliverable in the successful digital challenge bid, primarily because by 2010 digital TV will be in every home. Already penetration of Digital TV and mobile exceeds the Internet.

• By 2010 digital TV will have drastically changed the way people view and use TV and the opportunities created for service delivery will offer a range of economies. Some of the following will be easily achievable and will help to get the right services to the right audiences at the right time, leading to more efficient service delivery;
• Secure voting and consultations, with additional media including video to support and inform the decision making proces
• Information, help and guidance on services provided via text, audio and video in a range of foreign languages, including help with completing forms
• Personalised services meeting individual needs
• Community videos created by local groups for all to access, leading to improved community cohesion and understanding
• Links in to mainstream broadcasting, such as linking in with local news coverage with applicable to authority services and initiatives
• Multi media solutions using the telephone in combination with TV to deliver services to people in their homes - already a pilot is running where a patient uses the phone to talk to a doctor whilst he appears live on the TV
• Pay parking fees, book leisure facilities and check personal accounts
• Find and apply for a job, childcare and appropriate training*
• Book a doctors appointment or request a repeat prescription*
• Requesting specific home repairs, with the data being delivered straight to the local maintenance team's systems*

*Already over 80 Local Authorities are using the DigiTV Starter Kit to offer services 8, 9 and 10 to their citizens. Their services are available not only on DiTV (Sky, Freeview with modem and cable) 24 hours a day, but also 3G mobile phones and kiosk.

DigiTV is already using 3G mobile phones on behalf of Local Government to offer useful information and transactions to citizens on the move. The next generation of technical improvements will see mobile offering a wide range of efficiencies.

For more information on: Digital TV, please contact Matthew Paynter via email matthewp@shape-it.org by phone on 01484 416 230 or the website can be found at www.digitv.org.uk

For more information on The Digital Challenge, please go to http://www.digitalchallenge.gov.uk