Scala software has been selected to power TENQ’s digital signage network. Hulskamp was chosen to install the software and help the system become operational.

TENQ (“tank”) is an initiative between local water companies and health organizations that has led to the installation of 365 multimedia-enabled water coolers across hundreds of secondary and vocational  schools in the Netherlands.

The network plays educational programming, controlled advertising and user-generated content on built-in 19-inch LCD screens. Students can upload personal videos and pictures via www.tenq.tv or their “my tenq” account. This content can be viewed by other students on the Web site, and some of the content plays on the TENQ screens at their own school. When students use a TENQ cooler, they can select to view content uploaded by someone at their school.

“When we envisioned the concept of TENQ, we saw an opportunity to build a community for participating schools,” said Fine Trossèl, Managing Director of TENQ. “We realized that if students could contribute content, they would be more likely to view the screens and pay attention longer.”

Currently, more than 250 000 students broadcast their own videos and photos over the network.

TENQ is now expanding to elementary schools with a special version called TENQY for children ages 4 to 12. TENQY features a built-in flatscreen and programming that is tailored for a younger audience.

TENQ water coolers are available upon request by any school, and a local water company installs and maintains the coolers. Funding for the water can come directly from the schools, or students can purchase their own servings of water. A percentage of proceeds of water sales from TENQ are donated to Aqua for All, a Dutch non-profit organization committed to provided clean drinking water to developing countries in need.