**********************************************************
Do you sometimes need to make enquiries about public services, or lodge a complaint? You can now use the mobile phone application (app) "Tell me@1823". And you can download this app free of charge onto mobile phones running on iOS and Android platforms.
From now on, when you want to report unhealthy trees, road obstructions or similar issues to the Government, all you need to do is to take a photo or a video using your mobile phone and send it to the Call Centre via the "Tell me@1823" app. The mobile device's global positioning system (GPS) function also makes it easier for the Call Centre to identify the location in relation to the enquiries, reports or complaints.
Working with the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), the Call Centre has developed this new mobile app with multimedia functions so that the public can send information on the spot with images, audio recordings and text any time, anywhere.
To download the "Tell me@1823" app, just search for "1823" on the iPhone App Store or Android Market. A browser-based version that supports other mobile devices is also available. Visit the 1823 Call Centre website (www.1823.gov.hk) for further details.
In view of the growing popularity of using mobile devices to search for information and enjoy services, the OGCIO is assisting departments to introduce mobile e-government services. In addition to "Tell me@1823", in collaboration with the Transport Department, the OGCIO will shortly launch a mobile application to help people find public transportation routes easily.
The Call Centre has also started to upload frequently asked questions (FAQs) to its website. Currently, about 80 FAQs regarding 16 participating departments have been uploaded. A search engine for FAQs is also provided to help users find information easily.
The Call Centre is operated by the Efficiency Unit of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The Centre provides a round-the-clock, one-stop service for answering public enquires on behalf of 21 participating departments and receiving public complaints against the Government. The Centre received 2.93 million telephone calls and 150,000 emails or faxes in 2010.
Ends/Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Issued at HKT 18:21
NNNN
