digital technology – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

The future is calling!

150 years since the first phone call was made, the lines are about to go silent

Exactly 150 years since the first telephone call was made by the Scottish innovator, Alexander Graham Bell, one West Lothian telecommunications company is urging people to future-proof their phone systems before the lines go quiet forever.

Born in Edinburgh, the revered inventor, scientist and engineer Alexander Graham Bell was granted a patent for “transmitting vocal or other sounds telegraphically” on 7^th March 1876, and three days later on 10^th March, he made the first ever telephone call to his assistant Thomas Watson.

This landmark moment in history transformed the way we communicate, replacing slow, written correspondence with instant, real-time conversations.

But as our communication needs have continued to evolve, the traditional phone system is no longer able to keep pace. And so in January 2027, BT Openreach will shut down the Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN), the technology behind analogue landline phones.

Commenting on the PSTN switch-off, Workflo Solutions’ managing director Michael Field said; “This change has been deemed necessary because the network of traditional copper lines is no longer equipped to handle the demands of today’s advanced digital world.

“Bandwidth limitations restrict its ability to support features such as video conferencing and data sharing – crucial tools for modern businesses. And maintaining this ageing infrastructure has become increasingly expensive and impractical.”

Any equipment that currently uses the PSTN will stop working in January 2027. From phonelines to security alarms, door entry systems to CCTV, any technology that relies on the old copper lines will be affected.

And so to coincide with the 150^th anniversary of the very first phone call, the telecommunications experts at Workflo Solutions are urging people to move to a single, digital Internet Protocol (IP) network that primarily uses full-fibre connections.

Described by Workflo Solutions as the next generation of business communication, IP leverages the power and flexibility of the internet to deliver voice, data and video services over a single, high-speed fibre optic network. This shift to IP signifies a major technological leap forward in terms of speed, reliability and functionality.

Speaking ahead of the150^th anniversary of the first phone call, Michael Field said; “That iconic dial tone, the audio signal that once indicated when the exchange was ready for a number, is set to go silent in just a matter of months. So it is imperative that businesses act now to avoid disruption as the UK moves to a fully digital telecommunications system.

“The 150^thanniversary of the first telephone call serves as an important reminder of just how reliant we have become on instant, uninterrupted communications. The future is calling, but if you’re unsure what you need to do to keep up with these technological developments, don’t worry.

“Workflo Solutions is offering free assessments to help guide businesses through this important transition to ensure the changeover is as seamless as possible.”

Businesses can book their free PSTN switch-off readiness audit at www.workflo-solutions.co.uk/pstn-switch-off-readiness-audit.

Tech experts asked to partner with schools to help shape education in Edinburgh

Digital technology experts are being sought to help inform teaching in secondary schools in Edinburgh as the country’s tech industry experiences remarkable growth.

The Digital Critical Friends initiative has been set up by Scotland’s tech trade body, ScotlandIS, to address the industry’s skills gap and tackle high Computer Science drop-off rates in a time when one in ten jobs in Scotland is in the tech sector.

As demand for their services increase, Scottish tech businesses are continuing to face challenges, with 23% citing a lack of basic data skills and 37% reporting a lack of advanced digital skills among their existing workforces.

The Digital Critical Friends initiative aims to link industry professionals with Computer Science educators to support the alignment of lessons with industry best practices and offer students a holistic view of sector opportunities.

Tech professionals – from IT technicians to software engineers – are being encouraged to volunteer to take part in the programme that will help to shape schools’ curriculums.

Fiona Anderson, Project Manager at software development and digital transformation company PDMS, partnered with St Margaret’s High School in North Lanarkshire as part of the programme.

She said: “It’s important for schools to have direct links with the tech sector so pupils can ask questions and get inspired by the potential career paths that they perhaps weren’t aware of previously.

“Giving young people an idea of the skillsets required for the various jobs in our sector can really help to give them direction for the future.

“For example, discussing how good attention to detail and problem-solving skills are key for analysis and testing jobs, or that design roles might be well-suited to those who are keen on art and design or who have a creative flair, can help students understand which roles in our industry might be a good fit for them.”

Karen Meechan, CEO of ScotlandIS, said: “While our well-established tech sector is growing, companies today are finding it difficult to recruit with today’s shortage of skills. Our mission is to engage and inspire young minds while bridging the skills gap.

“Scotland’s tech sector is dynamic, exciting and offers a brilliant career path for young people today. But given the fast nature of the industry, the changes in how we use and develop technology can’t always be reflected in how the subject is taught in schools. There is no better way to protect the industry’s promising growth trajectory, and job opportunities of school leavers, than to build a direct line of contact between schools and professionals.

“We’re looking forward to working alongside new industry partners as we work to equip students with industry-relevant skills.”

Becoming a Digital Critical Friend involves an initial face-to-face meeting with a local school. The volunteers then maintain regular contact with teachers to help inform teaching, with at least one in-person meeting per term.

Additionally, mentors have the opportunity to invite teachers to their workplace, providing them with an immersive experience, observing their teams and gaining insights into ongoing project.

Karen added: “We understand that each professional and each school will be balancing different priorities, which is why we’ve ensured that the programme can be tailored to best suit the needs of each party.

“For example, we have a school on the Isle of Barra looking for a Digital Critical Friend, which they appreciate will most likely have to be conducted remotely!”

The Digital Critical Friends programme was first launched in 2021, and is now active in over six regions. After a successful start, ScotlandIS is now looking to expand the programme across all regions in Scotland.

To find out more about becoming a Digital Critical Friend, visit the ScotlandIS website.

Bield launches new digital hub

A NEW digital hub in West Lothian showcasing housing technology of the future won Bield stakeholder approval after its official launch last week.  

Following a tenant sneak-peek in March, Bield Housing and Care has officially opened the Bield Tech Hub in Linlithgow, having secured £75k of funding through the TAPPI project.

The launch allowed stakeholders, including local health and social care partnerships, staff and other housing associations, to trial and give feedback on digital care advancements of the future.

The Bield Tech Hub consists of four spaces including two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, one kitchen space and one living space. There is also a consultation room and a dining space. Each room has been fitted out with different technologies for people to test.

Stakeholders were welcomed to the space by Dr Lynne Douglas, Bield CEO, who said: “We are delighted to have officially opened the Bield Tech Hub and we’re sure it will bring life-changing technology to West Lothian and further afield. It was fantastic to give our stakeholders and project partners the opportunity to see first-hand what their support has facilitated.  

“It’s very important that people get the chance to familiarise themselves with this incredible tech made available through the TAPPI project and get a true insight into housing of the future.”

The Technology for our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (TAPPI) project aims to improve the way technology is used in housing and care for older people. Led by the Housing Learning and Improvement Network (Housing LIN), the TEC Services Association (TSA) and funded by The Dunhill Medical Trust, TAPPI seeks to address the opportunity that technology has to enhance the lives of our ageing population and the barriers that prevent its adoption.

The funding will give Bield the unique opportunity to work with tenants, staff and partners to gain insight into a range of devices, apps and systems across a variety of housing settings.  With co-production at its heart, Bield staff and tenants will have shared responsibility to produce digital services to support independent living – a first for the Scottish housing charity.

The Bield Tech Hub features three main technologies.  The first, Anthropos, uses predictive and analytical technologies to map individuals’ daily routines and sends insights to family or staff.  If abnormal action is detected, Anthropos intervenes to prevent a crisis moment from occurring.  This supports independent living for as long as possible by proactively averting potential injury or danger.

Aquarate drinking cups, which track individuals’ fluid intake by measuring liquid volume automatically, are also available.  This monitoring means that optimal fluid levels are maintained, and can be personalised to reflect individuals’ needs and care. 

The third technology is Vayyar, a non-wearable, non-invasive, 4-dimensional tracking technology which supports fall detection.  It also determines room presence and tracks mobility levels and bathroom visits, all of which facilitate autonomous living. 

Lynne added: “Our team have worked hard to ensure that Bield tenants, customers and their families are beneficiaries of extremely relevant tech that could make a real difference to their day-to-day lives – we are certain that the three technologies achieve that.

“Preventative care technologies across the board underpin our major tech revolution at Bield and we’re confident that there will be fewer falls and emergencies, generally helping people to live independently for longer and be more confident in their homes.”

Bield’s use of innovative technology has already received major recognition – it’s ‘Inspire Phase 2’ project which utilised proactive telecare was the winner of the Transformation Award at the 2023 ITEC Awards in Birmingham. 

The ITEC Awards celebrate innovation within the sector and the positive impact Technology Enabled Care has on the lives of millions of people in the UK.  The Transformation Award honours services that have planned and implemented major transformation with a proactive and preventative approach.  

Bield is a housing and care charity committed to providing innovative, flexible and high-quality housing solutions and support for older people.  Bield Housing and Care has around 180 developments which facilitate independent living across Scotland.

To find out more about Bield and its developments, visit https://www.bield.co.uk/ or follow on Facebook @bieldhousingandcare and Twitter @BieldScotland 

For more details on TAPPI, visit https://www.housinglin.org.uk/TAPPI2 

Capital bids to become smartest city

Edinburgh’s vision to become one of the world’s smartest capital cities has received a major boost thanks to an agreement between the City of Edinburgh Council and CGI.

Building on the five-year relationship the Council has established with the global ICT services provider, Councillors have agreed that the contract with CGI is to be extended until 2029 (running from 2023).

Providing stability for the Council’s ICT services, the extension will save a further £12m and help the Council look further ahead to the future. It will see CGI working with the Council on further digital transformation of services and continuing to be the Council’s primary ICT provider for the next nine years.

It also comes as Edinburgh is listed as Smart City of Year in the Digital 100 shortlist following recent work by the Council, CGI and other providers to enhance connectivity and embrace new technologies.

Depute Council Leader Cammy Day is the City of Edinburgh Council’s Smart Cities lead. He said: “Becoming a smart city will make Edinburgh a more sustainable and fair city so I’m pleased we’ve secured CGI’s long-term support to help us with our vision.

“We’re already well on our way to transforming the way we deliver many Council services, making them much more efficient and easy to use for residents. We want to develop this further and under the contract we’re looking at making digital learning services a lot more accessible and inclusive for all our pupils and residents.

“The work we’ll do with CGI will also support our plans for lowering carbon emissions and lowering costs by using smart technology. We realised savings of £45m when our partnership began in 2015, with an additional £11m in 2018 and this extension will save the Council a further £12m at a time when our finances are under pressure.”

Adam McVey, Council Leader, added: “Thanks to the work we’ve already achieved with CGI to use technology in much smarter ways, we’ve been able to respond quickly to the challenges of the pandemic and remote working, making sure our services can still be accessed by residents.

“Building on this will be crucial as we adapt to life beyond Covid and we want to create the most connected, efficient and sustainable Capital we can. The contract extension will allow us to make substantial savings without compromising on our ambitious goals for the City or on the progress we’re making improving core and lifeline services for our residents. I’m looking forward to seeing Edinburgh evolve into a genuinely Smart City and our partnership with CGI will sit at the heart of that work.”

The ambitious plans which the contract extension will help push forward will include:

Responding to the needs of a post-Covid Capital city by driving forward digital transformation
Bridging the digital divide between Edinburgh’s most and least affluent areas, providing schools with the most advanced networks and kit
A smart city operations centre to deliver transformative digital services using the likes of AI, the ‘Internet of Things’ and Advanced Analytics
‘Smart city’ systems such as intelligent traffic signals, smart streetlights that can control their own luminosity, street bins that can signal when they’re full and smart sensors in Council homes to predict, manage and prevent damage to properties such as damp
Increasing digital security to protect the Council’s network and data
Reducing the Council’s carbon footprint by reducing paper and print, reducing waste, and reusing or recycling equipment
Enhancing options for remote working for Council employees
Taking advantage of global trends such as moving to cloud-based services to reduce costs.

Tara McGeehan, CGI President for the UK and Australia, said: “This extension of our strategic partnership is excellent news. Edinburgh is a vibrant and diverse Capital city that is home to more than 518,000 citizens and is growing at twice the national Scottish average.

“This volume of people brings huge challenges, but also huge opportunities – especially when it comes to developing a modern, digital infrastructure that meets the demands of 21st century living.

“CGI, as the primary provider of transformational ICT services to the City of Edinburgh Council, has already helped modernise end-to-end digital services for both citizens and Council employees. Our hard work together has helped make the process of living and working in Edinburgh more transparent, more collaborative and more dynamic, delivering significant benefits to the city.

“This contract extension will now help us work with the Council so it can become one of the world’s ‘smartest’ capital cities. By using the latest digital technology, we aim to grow our relationship with the Council, and in turn help the Council grow its relationship with its citizens so they live and work in a dynamic, digitally-advanced Smart City.”

Azad Adam: From homeless in London to leading digital revolution in Muirhouse

A computing student is using the grim experience of being homeless in London to drive his ambition of helping North Edinburgh’s jobseekers get to grips with digital technology.
Continue reading Azad Adam: From homeless in London to leading digital revolution in Muirhouse

Digital Information Day for MHA tenants

Muirhouse Housing Association tenants have an opportunity to brush up their technology skills at event at Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre tomorrow (writes James McGinty):

Come and find out more about using phones,tablets and computers with the M.H.A. Team at Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre (Lounge/Cafe area) on Tuesday (9 June) from 11am – 1pm.

This is an event for M.H.A.Tenants only.

An expert from the field of computers will be there joining the Team and if you attend your name will be entered to a lucky dip to win a tablet!

Lazarowicz anger over broadband ‘notspots’

Mark Lazarowicz MP attacks buck passing by Government and providers

Mark Lazarowicz MP has attacked the buck passing by Government and broadband providers that is denying numerous properties access to superfast broadband that is vital to Edinburgh’s economic future.

Speaking after a Westminster debate on the subject, Mr Lazarowicz said: “I am repeatedly contacted by constituents living in different parts of my constituency ranging from the City Centre to North Edinburgh and the waterfront area who can’t get access to superfast broadband.

“It’s a vital part of economic infrastructure for businesses, the many people working from home as well as for anyone to access information and government services.

“Sometimes, developers may not install cable when converting or building properties but then the broadband provider won’t connect them either because of the cost.

“The Government says it won’t provide public funding where superfast broadband can be provided commercially but broadband providers won’t do it because they say it is not commercial for them to do so.

“It’s high time broadband providers and the UK and Scottish Governments took action: if private providers won’t tackle the notspots Government must act because it is too important to Edinburgh’s economy to leave people in our city unable to access superfast broadband.”

Mr Lazarowicz has raised this issue in Parliament on a number of occasions but the Government has simply pointed to the funding it is providing with the Scottish Government following suit in highlighting its partnership with BT in rolling out access.

The UK Government’s target is superfast broadband should be available to 95% of properties by 2017 – but there is no statutory obligation for developers to install broadband cable in new build properties let alone converted buildings.

The North & Leith MP’s speech can be found here.