Free Wifi In Council Buildings

Accessing wi-fi on the go is now part of daily life for lots of residents and is precisely why the Council is investing almost £200k to install free public access wi-fi in lots of its public buildings over the coming months as part of its three year £200m RCTinvest programme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Whether you’re at the gym and want to book your next class, at the library looking for employment or want to tell the world on social media how much you’re enjoying one of our shows at the theatre, you will soon be able to access public wi-fi through the SKY Cloud in over 30 of the Council’s buildings including Leisure Centres, Day Centres, Theatres and Libraries. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Joy Rosser, Cabinet Member for Prosperity, Wellbeing and Communities said: “As part of our three year £200m RCTinvest programme, which is set to benefit schools, play areas, highways, leisure centres, town and village centres and more, we are investing £200k to improve our ICT infrastructure across Rhondda Cynon Taf. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Installing public access wi-fi across a range of council buildings is part of our commitment to help residents and service users get online on the go. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are making it easier for residents to transact with the Council online by constantly reviewing and improving the services we offer via our website. With the installation of public access wi-fi we are now also making it even easier for residents to get online in the first place. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is all part of a digital drive which will also see our revamped Communities First Programme, Libraries and other services work closely together to promote digital inclusion and support residents who want to but don’t currently get the most out of the internet. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is of huge importance with things like job searches, appointment booking, reporting issues, finding out about latest news and events and much more increasingly being accessed via smart phones and tablets and we want to give our residents the skills and the infrastructure needed to get online and enjoy the benefits of doing so.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Mike Forey, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services, recently visited St Mairs Day Centre in Aberdare to see first-hand how the wi-fi installation will benefit service users. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He commented: “As the Older People’s Champion it was great to visit St Mairs Day Centre and see some of our silver surfers getting online via their mobile phones using the public access wi-fi recently installed by the Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“There is such an appetite amongst our older residents to get online to access the range of services and support which is available, demonstrated by the number of people who turn up each week to access a computer course at St Mairs Day Centre, which recently celebrated its 5th anniversary. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We have recently launched the Dewis website which provides valuable information on community support services which can help an individual to retain their independence and this information and much more will now be just a fingertip away in our Day Centres, Leisure Centres and Libraries and other public buildings once wi-fi has been installed.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council is working with Sky Cloud to provide free public access wi-fi at over 30 of its buildings including Leisure Centres, Theatres, Day Centres and Libraries. To access, all you need to do is register once and your smart phone or tablet will then pick up when you are in range to connect. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​