UK police forces take to Airwave: Ten police forces in the UK are now using Airwave, an advanced emergency communications system from mmO2. Airwave uses TETRA (Terrestrial Trunked Radio) technology to provide an encrypted digital radio system that cannot be scanned or monitored by anyone outside the system. Multi-functional handsets combine a digital radio with a mobile phone, and in the future the handsets will function as data terminals, enabling officers on the move to access local and national databases. MmO2 has agreed a STG2.9 billion contract with the UK government to deliver Airwave to a total of 53 police forces in England, Scotland and Wales by the end of 2005. The mobile group is also bidding for national contracts with the fire and ambulance services.
UK must prove value of e-government, says think-tank: The UK government must produce evidence of the value of e-government in order to justify spending on it, according to the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), an independent think-tank. Launching its new research programme on public value and electronic service delivery, the IPPR said the government should focus on the collection and publication of evidence of the added value to the public of e-government services. The institute recommended a "mapping" of increased satisfaction levels among users of e-services, a demonstration of savings made by e-government initiatives and the publication of evidence of e-government's impact on policy outcomes, such as in education. "Failure to add value through e-government now could undermine public and political support for the public services," said Ian Kearns, associate director of the IPPR.
European conference to assess e-government: The European Commission and Italian EU presidency are organising a high-level e-government conference that will take place this summer. The two-day conference, starting 7 July, will assess recent developments in e-government practices and will present an exhibition of the latest applications being deployed across Europe. The "eEurope Award for Innovation in e-Government" will also be presented at a ceremony during the event. The conference takes place against the backdrop of the eEurope 2005 Action Plan, which has identified the availability of modern public services as a key target. By the end of 2004, it is hoped that all EU member states will have made basic public services interactive and accessible to all, while exploiting the potential of broadband and of cross-platform compatibility.
Australian e-government needs more integration, says study: Australia's e-government strategy is commendable but needs to focus more on integrating the on-line services of the various departments and agencies, according to a new report. The "E-government Benefits Study," commissioned by the National Office for the Information Economy and carried out by DMR Consulting, found that 80 percent of e-government users said e-services were of significant or moderate social benefit to them, while 65 percent of businesses who used e-government services acknowledged their value. However, the study advised that the government should strive to integrate its agencies and make "cross-agency data more readily available." The report also pointed out that most of the on-line services currently available are "relatively simple" and that "maximum value can be attained from citizen-centric e-government systems that follow life events, rather than being limited by agency boundaries."
Dubai to host major e-government conference: The 9th GCC e-Government, Telecom and Internet Forum is due to take place in Dubai in May. The five-day conference aims to promote better understanding of the issues surrounding e-government and their implication for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, which comprises the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman. The event promises to bring together technology leaders and senior government officials from across the Middle East. Topics on the conference agenda include coordinating cross-agency initiatives, resourcing mission-critical programs and understanding the e-government technologies available. Security and storage issues will also be addressed. "The forum is committed to help various organisations entrusted with e-government implementation with a citizen-centred, results-oriented, market-based approach towards e-government," said Ali Al Kamali, chairman of the conference's organizing committee.
Quelle: electricnews.net
