The Mobile Internet Access Unit has as main objective to combat info-illiteracy in the rural parishes with less accessibilities to new technologies. Faced with the reality of the Evora region, where a part of the population is widely dispersed throughout rural parishes with less access to new technologies, the Mobile Internet Access Unit has proved to be a valuable resource in combating the notion of information as a prerogative of a chosen few. In rural parishes, the unit takes the Internet to the entire county, with activities that embrace communication, information, awareness raising. Even training for the general population as well as for specifically targeted segments of the public has been carried out. With these initiatives we intend to sensitize the population to use the Internet as an information source and an easy tool for their daily-life, also enhancing the use of new websites and on-line services and e-mail; the activities are varied and with different subjects according to the necessities and interests of the several publics such as children, young, ageing or unemployed people.

Policy Context

Falling within the ambit of Cities and Regions Digital projects, the Évora County Digital project has as his main objectives the modernization of local public administration, harness economic development, to combat info-illiteracy and promote the information and knowledge society. The Mobile Internet Access Unit is part of the Évora County Digital project and is integrated in the mobilization and sensitization area, having as main objective to combat info-illiteracy in the region, where a part of the population is widely dispersed throughout rural parishes with less access to new technologies. This project is co-financed by the Portuguese National Authorities through the Information Society Program and EDRF.

Description of target users and groups

Children in preschool age: To start and familiarize children with the basics of computing and ICT. Children (6-12): To sensitize children for the use of the Internet as tool to school work and as an information source. Unemployed people: To endow dismissed with the necessary basic abilities to the attainment of the Basics Skills in ICT's Degree, conferring to them useful abilities to their curricular enrichment and to improve their conditions in the search of a new job. Elderly people: Raising awareness for ICT and Internet, demystifying this issue with a population often little adhering to technological advances.

Description of the way to implement the initiative

The geographical areas covered by the mobile unit are the 14 municipalities of the county. The implementation of the work is done by direct collaboration with schools and other institutions that received the initiatives of the mobile unit and the type of activities carried out at each location are defined together with those, in order to be suitable to their needs and capabilities of users. The choice of which institutions and places to visit is made by the technical team of the project; only in some few cases the mobile unit went to places and events requested directly by institutions.

Technology solution

Apart from the usual install Windows + Office, all the computers have installed Alinex (a Linux compilation developed by the University of Évora and the University of Extremadura). The mobile unit is also equipped with a scanner, printer and television. Internet access is provided by satellite, trough a parabolic antenna. When operating, the Mobile Unit also offers the possibility to external users to have Internet access in their own computers, trough a Wi-Fi that provides Internet signal in a radius of about 200 meters around the vehicle. Technology choice: Proprietary technology, Standards-based technology, Open source software

Main results, benefits and impacts

The Mobile Unit interior has been adapted to provide eight workstations; the Internet access is assured anywhere in the county by using a WebSat service. When operating, the Mobile Unit also offers the possibility to external users to have Internet access in their own computers, trough a Wi-Fi that provides Internet signal in a radius of about 200 meters around the vehicle. The Mobile Internet Access Unit started its work in August 2006; since then until the end of October 2007, where covered by the activities 2,700 users of all ages. On the organization and implementation of activities, 82 institutions were involved. The collaboration with schools, third ages residences and days centres, Municipalities and other associations, was one of the major factors that helped to expedite the implementation of the working plan. Besides from the visits to institutions/villages and training workshops for Local Government Workers, the Mobile Unit was present at 31 events and several communications about the work and its results were presented in seminars and similar events. More than 100 Basic Skills Degrees in ICT were issued, with emphasis to the fact that much of them has been issued to groups of older people. To support the activities were developed flyers on the theme "Safety on the Internet" for distribution to the public, as well as other materials such as websites-tips and Internet Treasury Hunts. In a relatively wide geographical region, where much of the population is aging and where the infrastructures for access to ICT and Internet still have shortcomings, the mobile unit has proven to be an effective infrastructure.

Return on investment

Return on investment: Not applicable / Not available

Track record of sharing

Communications have been presented in seminars and conferences about the developed work. Several working teams on other projects visited the mobile unit, with the aim of knowing the work, discuss some technical features and get new ideas for their own projects.

Lessons learnt

Lesson 1 - The best way to implement activities on the ground is beyond traveling to the places, i.e. involving the institutions that already work with the community and gaining their confidence. Lesson 2 - Motivation and awareness are the starting point for a frequent use of ICT - after participation in our activities, several groups joined computer classes and many people come to use online services. Scope: Regional (sub-national)