LTE  |  2020-07-24

Capita signs network infrastructure contract with Transport for London

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

Capita announced that it has secured a contract with Transport for London (TfL) to design and deliver key elements of the network infrastructure that will underpin the upcoming Emergency Services Network (ESN) throughout the London Underground.

The design and delivery of the network infrastructure which underpins ESN for the London Underground is worth £23.5m over 12 months.

ESN will replace the existing Airwave network in the UK to provide faster and more resilient network connectivity across all emergency services communications’ channels – for police, fire and rescue, and ambulance services – and will work independently from public mobile phone networks.

The scope of the contract includes the design, installation and testing of network cables in tunnels as well as installation and testing of ‘local area network’ infrastructure on platforms and in stations. The new network infrastructure will support future ESN mobile connectivity in the London Underground.

Once ‘live’, the ESN will provide mobile connectivity services, including 4G, to enable emergency services teams throughout the London Underground environment to communicate. The infrastructure that Capita is delivering will be used by mobile network provider EE to enable emergency services to operate efficiently across London Underground.