Social and new media

Bluetooth is a radio broadcasting standard that is normally found in mobile phones. It is often used to connect headsets to phones, or to share content between mobile phones.

Rugby Borough Council, together with our partners on the Rugby Community Safety Partnership, uses a bluetooth broadcast device to send messages to phones with bluetooth enabled.

The bluetooth broadcasting device works by looking for mobile phones within range. Where a phone is detected through its bluetooth signal, the device offers the phone a message. The user must accept the message in order to receive it. Messages are normally broadcast in the form of a picture (animated gif) and/or a calendar or contact file. These files are completely harmless and can easily be deleted.

The council's device also broadcasts using the wifi system. Phones or computers that find the wifi hotspot are offered a similar message to the bluetooth message: the hotspot does not allow access to the internet.

The council normally uses this device to publicise upcoming events or to broadcast community safety messages. It is particularly effective in reaching young people.