Press Releases

March 13 2006

One thousand PCs for £50 help bridge the digital divide

Eastserve, the largest community based broadband project in Europe has one thousand PCs for as little as £50 available to residents in the Ancoats, Beswick, Clayton, Gorton, Openshaw, Miles Platting, and Newton Heath districts of east Manchester. As well as a PC, the package includes a printer, three months free broadband connection and computer training.

Reconditioned PCs cost £50 and new PCs can be purchased for the heavily discounted rate of £200. In addition, for as little as £6 per month, East Manchester residents can sign up to a package which includes fast speed, 'always on' broadband connection, a support centre, low cost repairs and a rapidly developing website that provides a range of services and information to residents and includes, amongst other things, well used forums, a range of interactive services and free e-mail.  The Eastserve project is funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Sean McGonigle, East Manchester New Deal for Communities co-ordinator said: "Everyone in east Manchester now has the opportunity to bridge the digital divide.Bringing the internet to a deprived community can have a dramatic effect on educational attainment and increase employment opportunities for the local people as well as helping the community to communicate in a completely different way with other residents or statutory services.East Manchester has been recognised officially as one of the most intelligent communities in the world and we want everyone to be part of it."  

Maurice Gubbins, NWDA Area Manager for Greater Manchester, said:
"Internet access can make a major difference to our local communities, providing an affordable way of keeping in touch, an easily accessible learning resource and helping to improve quality of life. The NWDA is working to promote the usage of broadband throughout the region, particularly in disadvantaged communities, and we are pleased to support Eastserve, which is creating skills and employment opportunities for local residents of East Manchester."

For more information about Eastserve click on www.eastserve.com or call 0161 231 9580.