Photos: TalkTalk opens web hub in London's West End
Soho centre offers free wi-fi, a customer lounge and office space for start-ups...
Broadband-provider TalkTalk has opened a drop-in centre for internet lovers in London's West End.
The Customer Experience Centre is in the former headquarters of ISP Tiscali, on Broadwick Street in Soho. The ground floor is open to all comers - not just TalkTalk customers.
Photo credit: Natasha Lomas/silicon.com
On the ground floor, there's free wi-fi and access to banks of web-connected PCs. Customer service staff are also on hand to provide support and technical advice about home broadband and other connectivity issues.
Photo credit: Natasha Lomas/silicon.com
Pictured above is a demo area where the ISP will display equipment such as wi-fi routers, along with demoing its digital TV service, TalkTalk TV.
Photo credit: Natasha Lomas/silicon.com
A large videowall (above) keeps customers entertained.
Photo credit: Natasha Lomas/silicon.com
There's also a quieter area glassed off from the main floor for customer service discussions.
Photo credit: Natasha Lomas/silicon.com
Upstairs on the first floor, TalkTalk customers can gain access to a members' lounge - a much quieter space where they can book time on a computer or bring their own laptops and connect to the internet.
Photo credit: Natasha Lomas/silicon.com
There's also comfy seating on hand, a small library of books (pictured above, left) donated by TalkTalk chairman Charles Dunstone, plus a selection of newspapers and hot and cold drinks. Meeting rooms can also be booked by TalkTalk customers.
Photo credit: Natasha Lomas/silicon.com
The remaining floors of the building are given over to office and meeting space that TalkTalk will rent to start-up creative and technology businesses.
A TalkTalk spokesman said data and web analytics company QuBit Digital has signed up as one of its first tenants.
Photo credit: Natasha Lomas/silicon.com