Thurrock Community Bus
In the heart of Thurrock, a vibrant community college embarked on a mission to make computer skills accessible to everyone, regardless of age, experience, or location. This mission took shape in the form of the “GetOn2GetOn” bus, a mobile classroom designed to bring learning to the doorstep of local residents.
For years, the bus had been a beacon of opportunity, but it faced a significant challenge: ensuring reliable internet connectivity. This challenge was overcome with the acquisition of EMS OptiBond, transforming the bus into a hub of seamless connectivity.
Connectivity with OptiBond
A representative of Thurrock Adult and Community College, shared his excitement: “OptiBond is working very well on the bus. It is a great relief that I do not have to worry about ‘line of sight’ as we did with the previous satellite solution. We can now, generally, park the bus anywhere and still connect to the internet… brilliant! The performance is also superior to our old system. It is so nice to just switch on and forget.”
The “GetOn2GetOn” bus, equipped with ten laptops connected to the internet via EM OptiBond bonded router, travels to various towns and villages. It stops in community areas such as parks and outside pubs, making it easy for residents to access learning opportunities they might not have pursued otherwise. The bus also features printers, monitors, and a large LCD display for tutors to demonstrate techniques.
Outcomes
This initiative has empowered residents with essential computing skills, from writing documents and emails to using the internet for shopping, information searching, and online communications. The bus has become a symbol of hope and progress, bridging the digital divide and fostering a culture of lifelong learning.
EMS, the company behind OptiBond, specialises in providing cost-effective, instant secure data connectivity for remote, temporary, and mobile installations. Their OptiBond Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) appliance uses two independent cellular connections, offering redundancy, super-fast download speeds, and low latency. With fast data transfer speeds, OptiBond ensures that the “GetOn2GetOn” bus remains a reliable and powerful tool for community education.
OptiBond SDWAN bonded router can be pre-configured with a secure Virtual Private Network, providing instant secure data connectivity. EMS also offers a fully managed service, including a help desk and remote diagnostics to quickly resolve any issues, ensuring internet con remains operational and effective.
Through the “GetOn2GetOn” bus and the support of EMS, Thurrock Adult and Community College continues to make a significant impact, bringing the world of digital learning to the fingertips of its residents.
Find out more about deploying OptiBond on your community bus or mobile service https://ems-uk.com/contact-us/