Mobile phone owners on the 3 network are now able to access local government information on their mobiles, according to Public Technology.

Local authority services provided by DigiTV’s Looking Local are accessible via 3’s mobile phones, including:

• Reporting broken street lighting, graffiti, fly tipping and missed rubbish collections – on the spot
• Finding out opening times of local facilities - like the leisure centre, library or recycling depot
• Sending an email to the council
• Get Citizens Advice information
• Booking a GP appointment (South Yorks only)
• Checking the status of a housing benefit claim (South Yorks only)

3 custumers who pay for internet access, can connect to DigiTV by selecting a link on the “Today at 3″ webpage displayed on their handset. Regular charges apply.

With more than 3.2 million customers on the 3G network and eighty Local Authorities using DigiTV, this new partnership has the potential to have a significant impact. But that will ultimately depend on the customer/citizen.