Partner Article

Alex system to go national

Software developed in the region to help digitally excluded people use the internet is to be rolled out nationally following a successful North East launch.

Newcastle’s Broadband Computer Company (BCC) will launch its Alex software product across the country at a high-profile event in London’s Soho media hub later this month.

The software overrides conventional computer operating brands such as Windows with an ultra-simple system for people who are computer illiterate and have therefore missed out on the many advantages of using the internet.

After a soft launch in the North East, where it has been warmly received largely by older generations, the company now aims to put its product on retail shelves across the UK.

As well as marketing the product towards the computer illiterate, it will also be aimed at third party customers who may be keen to help relatives or friends on to the internet.

BCC is also in the process of developing the technology to give it the capacity to ‘awaken’ dormant computers which may have been discarded in cupboards and drawers up and down the country and forgotten about after breaking down.

Since the operating system needs a lot less capacity to run a computer than the likes of Windows, tech experts at BCC believe it can be used to spark ‘clogged up’ computers into life.

Meanwhile, the firm is currently building a website – that can be accessed through Alex and externally – featuring video lessons of simple online tasks such as supermarket shopping or buying airline tickets for internet newcomers.

It aims to provide a constant service to online beginners to teach them about how the internet can transform their lives.

Company founder Andy Hudson, who himself claims to have not sent his first email until he was in his fifties, said BCC was also helping elderly people connect to broadband internet.

He said: “We are helping people sort out their broadband problems. If you are new to computing then you don’t even know what broadband is - we make sure our system is all preconfigured so it is easy to set up.

“Also, the level of online retail going on in the UK at the moment is huge - our aim is to make sure computer illiterate people don’t miss out on the savings that can be made by shopping online”

Alex was launched late last year on the back of £2.2m of private investment.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .