BT
Sponsorship of the BT Convention Centre builds upon the strategic partnership BT has with Liverpool City Council and its social and economic investment in the region. Merseyside is a key region for BT. It supports over 25,000 jobs in the North West and last year generated £875 million for the area.
Together, Liverpool City Council and BT have achieved some tremendous successes over the past few years. In 2001, the two organisations entered into a new partnership and a Joint Venture company, known as Liverpool Direct Ltd was formed. The partnership was set up to help the Council achieve its “seaport to e-port” vision, modernising the way the Local Authority provided services to its citizens and by 2017, will have saved taxpayers an estimated £150m. Liverpool Direct Ltd has developed rapidly as a company and now works in partnership with many other organisations in the public, private and community sectors.
In November 2007, Liverpool became one of the first ‘wireless cities’ in the UK, bringing fast internet and email access to those on the move. Through BT’s Openzone service, local residents, tourists and businesses can work, talk, play, listen and see at broadband speeds in key Wi-Fi enabled locations across the city, including the Echo Arena and the BT Convention Centre. Access to local information, including the Capital of Culture 08 programme is free via the BT City Wi-Fi network (select SSID BTOPENZONE to connect).
What’s more, BT is building the world’s largest Wi-Fi internet community with BT Fon, a new service that allows customers to get wireless broadband around the globe. And the best bit? It’s absolutely free. BT Total Broadband customers share their home Wi-Fi with other members and in return get to use theirs when they’re out and about.
Looking to the future, the new world of 21st Century Network (21CN) comes to parts of the region soon, with full roll out scheduled for completion by 2011. 21CN brings access to any communications service from any device, anywhere - and at triple the fastest broadband speeds currently available - changing the way we live and work today and in the future. For example, BT Vision combines the appeal of TV with the interactivity of broadband - customers will be able to watch what they want when they want and not be tied to TV schedules. Convergence is the future for communications and 21CN is designed to make it simple and easy.
The Echo Arena and BT Convention Centre give Liverpool a fantastic opportunity to showcase itself to the world and play a major part in bringing economic growth and regeneration to the region. BT is proud to be an official sponsor of such an outstanding venue.