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Porto Digital Association

João Pedro Capelo

Porto - April, 8, 2010

Overview

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Agenda

1. About Porto Digital

2. Porto Digital: On the way to the knowledge based society

3. Porto Digital: Telecommunications Infrastructure in the City of Porto

4. Porto Digital: Support Municipality and Metropolitan Area Projects

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1- About Porto Digital

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Porto Digital is a private association founded 2004 by the Municipality of Porto, University of Porto and the Portuguese Business Association (AEP), in cooperation with Metro do Porto to promote ICT projects within the context of the city of Porto and Porto's metropolitan area.

Porto Digital implemented in 2006-2008 a fiber-optics backbone and a public access wireless mesh network. In February 2009 Porto Digital through a PPP created an open-access telecommunications operator, in which it holds a majority stake, that up to December 2013 will be deploying FTTH in the city of Porto.

About Porto Digital

Its goals are:

• Increasing quality in education, particularly through an increased use of ICT on all levels of education;

• Reduce bureaucracy and increase efficiency of the municipality services;

• Contribute to reducing the digital divide;

• Contribute to a better quality of life in the urban area for inhabitants, workers and tourists.

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2- Porto Digital: On the way to the knowledge based society

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The Porto Digital project, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, aimed to broaden the use of the Internet by the citizens of the city of Porto.

Porto Digital: On the way to the knowledge based society

To achieve this objective, Porto Digital implemented a number of complementary initiatives from January 2005 to June 2007, namely:

• Building a broadband network infrastructure based on 93 km of optical fiber and several aerials for wireless communication;

• Development of interactive websites on topics such as employment, culture, tourism, social support and real estate;

• e-government activities, in particular online services of the city council;

• Establishment of free Internet access spots in public places;

• Lending computer equipment to a number of selected schools and social institutions during short periods on a rotating basis;

• Gathering and dissemination of information on employment and entrepreneurship in the city of Porto (Cidade das Profissões).

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The broadband infrastructure has been built in such a way to guarantee a geographical coverage of most of the city. In 2009 the network was expanded, including connecting more than 500 social housing buildings to the fiber network.

The Internet is now accessible by a wider public including young people, poorer communities, and people with physical or mental disabilities (provision of specific hardware and software). Moreover, a resource centre was created with the mission of providing and distributing to schools (in the framework of temporary working groups and special events) about 150 computers, 100 laptops, 100 interactive whiteboards, 15 video cameras, 45 digital cameras and 12,500 information technology magazines (one per student at the primary school level). In the first nine months of 2008 the resource centre is to support an initiative of the Porto City Council in order to place 100 interactive whiteboards in 50 primary schools together with additional help-desk and training services for about 500 teachers spread all over the city.

Porto Digital: on the way to the knowledge based society

Results to the city:

Broadband connection covers now about 55 sites including premises of local, regional and national administration, museums and cultural organizations, public library, the City Park, primary schools, high schools, university faculties and the chamber of commerce.

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3- Porto Digital: Telecommunications Infrastructure in the City of Porto

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• In 2007 the Optic Fibre Network connected 54 points of interest (Institutions of higher education and Public Institutions) in the city. Porto Digital installed Free Wi-Fi internet access Points in some public spaces of the city.

• In 2009 the network was extended by 26 Km, thus adding to the 88 Km of optic fibre available in 2008.

• Porto Digital continue to building a Optic Fibre Network that will cover the city and will provide not only Internet signal but also the TDT Tv signal.

Porto Digital: Telecommunications Infrastructure in the City of Porto

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4- Porto Digital: Support Municipality and Metropolitan Area Projects

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Porto Digital supported several projects of the Municipality and of the Metropolitan Area of Porto, such as: SAMA (simplification of the services of the City Council); Interactive Growth (“Crescer Interactivo”, application of new technologies in public schools); development of the websites of the City Council and “iPorto” Portal and the implementation project of the optic fibre in the Metropolitan Area of Porto.

Projects developed by the City Council (two main areas):

E-Citizenship (modernization of the Technologies in the City Council Services)

• Web Portal of the City Council;

• Intranet;

• Executive Portal: Developed by Microsoft Portugal, the Portal allows the dematerialization of the documents used in the City Council’s Executive Meetings. The Portal was distinguished with Solutions for Local Public Administration Award promoted by Microsoft International in 2008;

• Electronic Management of Documents (Docinporto3g)

• Digital Archive of Urban Projects (SIURB);

• Contact Centre.

Porto Digital: Support Municipality and Metropolitan Area Projects

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On-line Services

• E-Services – Application Forms

• On-line Direct Contact

• Interactive City Map

Porto Digital: Support Municipality and Metropolitan Area Projects

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Credits and references

Images

• http://www.graffletopia.com/stencils/462

Sites

• Porto Digital Association: http://www.portodigital.pt

• iPorto: http://iporto.amp.pt

• Porto City Council: http://www.cm-porto.pt

• Porto Digital Project: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/cooperation/interregional/ecochange/goodpractice/2infso/citizens/pt_norte_portodigit.pdf

Download this presentation

• At: http://issuu.com/jpcapelo/docs/portodigital

Thank you

João Pedro Capelo

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jpcapelo@portodigital.pt