Rhapsody Wi-Fi What’s This All About ? Welcome to our Rhapsody Music and Wi-fi radio service, how to get connected and what you can expect from rhapsody. The League of friends radio station Radio Heatherwood can be heard through this service. In addition those connected will have access to internet and email.
Sadly No Longer Needed
The rhapsody web site was created in late 2012 to support the introduction of the Rhapsody Wi-fi listening service on ward 4.
Almost a year after the closure of the radio the domain name for Rhapsody is not renewed and the web site is no longer needed.
Rhapsody Wi-Fi Turned Off
The Wi-fi service was turned off on the 3rd December 2016, after four years of funding by the League of friends,
The main driving force behind this project was the station Manager Dave Smith and Engineer PJ Davidson-Smith.
(League of friends and Radio Heatherwood Facebook post from 5th December 2016)
In May 2012 the league of friends agreed to fund the use of Wi-fi on ward 4 elective orthopaedic surgery, with the aim to provide an opportunity for patients and staff to listen to the radio service.
Our Aim
To deliver Radio Heatherwood on mobile devices which includes smart phones tablets or internet radios for patients, visitors and staff on ward 10( New ward 4 ). This method of delivery is called Wi-fi. This is achieved with a combination of a wired Ethernet intranet, supporting wireless access points.
Listeners had access to the internet.
The internet portable radio’s which were provided, had the web page address programmed on a pre-set, switching on the radio would go to the pre-set music stream from the Radio Heatherwood intranet.The internet radios had three pre-sets already tuned to Radio Heatherwood, Radio Two, and Radio Berkshire.Being in hospital can be an isolating experience, particularly in the modern world when most people are used to be constantly connected to their networks. Availability of a Wi-fi in Heatherwood hospital's ward 4 allowed people to stay entertained during their stay, and aid their recovery by maintaining their spirits. It’s a well known fact, conclusive studies on the use of music to aid recovery, all show it can shorten the recovery time for patients receiving treatment.
The provision of the Rhapsody Wi-fi was also about providing access to email and social networks. As part of the installation fixed day room listening facilities were also provided.
The league spent £4700 on the installation and each year picked up the monthly bill for broadband usage. Rhapsody Wi-fi was free to use.
A relatively low outlay has allowed thousands of patients and staff to benefit from this access.Earlier this year the trust informed the radio service(Radio Heatherwood) of their intention not to renew their lease. It is with deep regret the league has also had to pull the plug on the Wi-fi service as without any radio premises the service cannot survive.
We apologise to all those users, who now can no longer access our services.
We published here the figures on the usage of the Wi-fi, these figures are not conclusive as throughout it's 4 years, some data was lost and so the figures are a baseline but in effect would have actually shown higher usage.
Facebook PublicationThe Wi-fi service for the league was a great investment and provided patients and staff with un-limited connections and access to worldwide music and Radio Heatherwood.
R.I.P Rhapsody Wi-fi
10th November 2017 and we say goodbye to the domain name “rhapsodywifi”
The story of the birth of the Wi-fi,starts here:-
2012 Year Thirty Six January-March 2012PJ Davidson-Smith Station Engineer.
Rhapsody Wi-fi
The Patients Choice 2012 till 2016
