"Housing Channel"
Housing applications were part of Infocities' "Digital Town Hall" application. Because of the specific character of housing, in which often specific public-private relationships play a role, it got a special treatment under VirtuHalls©. Online information about the housing market, including an interface that allows potential customers interactive access to the database where they can change some of their logged data, get personalised advice, register their demands, etc. This can be by IP technology or by interactive teletext.Like the Market Place VirtuHalls also the Housing Channel typically concerns information, communication and transaction facilities for citizens. Apparently often also SMEs and medium- and large sized enterprises are targeted.
Access to the information is at least via telephone modem, ISDN and kiosks. Cable modems are the main means of access. Probably the specific nature of housing prefers a higher speed access. "Housing Channel" applications are fully functional on open (Web) sites, with no specific access criteria. The information is mostly free. Some diversions from this average line appear, and in those cases there are direct links to banking tokens for payment or direct links to banks combined with indirect links to the service. Read the evidence reports for more about the technology we deployed.
There are recurring tasks, and they could be automated by intelligent agents. User-feedback can be acquired. User-profiling is an option, which is logical since returning interactive citizens would like the comfort of being recognised by the system.
The trans-european consulting of information across cities is possible. The "Interactive Culture Plaza" can be migrated and instanced in another City and used through several access cases. No ancillary providers are foreseen, besides the current providers.
"Housing News"
This includes two services. One is an e-zine on Living and Lifestyle. The other is a news service by the proprietor organisation for the households who rent dwellings, and for the staff members of the proprietor (Internet/Intranet based).Like the Municipal VirtuHalls also the Housing News typically concerns information and communication (and not transaction) facilities. Because of its informational content it targets all user groups, except teachers and pupils of schools.
Access to the information is over a range of access modes. Mentioned are dedicated equipment, telephone modems, ISDN, cable modems, hybrid set-top boxes for digital TV (OpenTV and Viaccess, Mediahighway and MediaGuard, Teletext and telephone), hybrid Web-Browser-TV terminals, intermediate combinations of the above, mixed, advanced set-top-boxes for full TV, radio and web and full TV, radio and PC (incl. Web), and kiosks in public places.
"Housing News" applications are fully functional on open (Web) sites, with no specific access criteria. Piping technologies are also used (f.e. e-mail). There are no Intranets. The information is free. Read the evidence reports for more about the technology we deployed.
Recurring tasks do not play an important role. User-feedback can be acquired. User-profiling is an option, which is logical since returning interactive citizens would like the comfort of being recognised by the system.
The trans-european consulting of information across cities is possible. The "Housing News" can be migrated and instanced in another City and used through several access cases. No ancillary providers are foreseen, besides the current providers.
