Oct/Nov 2008

Newcastle City Council has chosen Motorola MC35 handheld terminals to deliver a mobility solution to field staff working in its recently-formed Environment and Regeneration Directorate.

The devices are being supplied by Spirit Data Capture, which is said to have offered the best value for money. The organisation says it found Spirit following an Internet search.

The new department was created from an amalgamation of the neighbourhood services and regeneration divisions. Its aim is to plan and deliver a range of front line services and regeneration activities.

Around 128 staff from the building services operation were already equipped with Pocket PCs. These are now being phased out and replaced by the MC35s, which are also being issued to other divisions.

 

The council explains that it was looking for robust and resilient hardware with a built-in mobile phone and camera. Other priorities included Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, an in-car charger and an extended battery life. And it wanted a device that would be supported by Vodafone if possible.

The mobile units link staff with an existing remote job despatch solution from APD Communications.