BT secures £1.29bn contract for UK emergency services network 

News 

BT has long been a cornerstone of the UK’s emergency connectivity, handling 999 emergency calls since 1937 

BT has signed a £1.29 billion contract with the Home Office to provide mobile services for the UK’s Emergency Services Network (ESN) over the next seven years, the company announced over the weekend. 

The ESN is a critical system that uses the 4G network to deliver secure and reliable voice, video, and data communications for the UK’s emergency services. It allows police, fire, and ambulance services to access essential information in real-time, ensuring they can respond quickly and effectively, even in remote areas or during peak network use. The network prioritises these services, ensuring emergency workers can communicate effectively during crises.  

Since 2015, BT’s EE has played a central role in developing the ESN as part of a programme to replace the ageing Airwave system, owned by Motorola. This included upgrading over 19,500 of BT’s existing 4G sites, expanding rural coverage, and creating a dedicated core network to ensure emergency services have priority connectivity all the time. 

Progress on the project, however, has been heavily delayed. The ESN was initially scheduled to be fully operational by 2019, but today’s contract suggests this will only be achieved by 2029 – a decade behind schedule. These delays have incurred significant costs, with the government having spent £2 billion on the project by March 2023 and a further £2.9 billion maintaining the old Airwave system. 

This week’s new agreement with BT aims to accelerate the project, as well as updating its capabilities to meet today’s demands, includes maintaining and developing the infrastructure to support more than 300,000 users.  

BT will also manage key infrastructure such as the Air-to-Ground (A2G) network, Extended Area Services (EAS), and connectivity for the London Underground, as well as key road and rail tunnels. 

A major focus of the new contract is improving indoor connectivity, with plans to carry out the largest rollout of coverage solutions in UK history to meet Public Safety Communications Services standards. 

“BT Group has been a committed longstanding partner for Britain’s Emergency Services Network (ESN). We’re proud to double down on this commitment today by broadening the scope of our agreement with the Home Office until 2032 and beyond – as the Government takes ESN from build through to delivery and operation of this critical network,” said Bas Burger, CEO of business at BT in a press release. 

“Essential public services like these depend on a rock-solid digital foundation. Through our award-winning EE mobile network, we’ll continue to play a central part in delivering mission- critical, trusted communications for the Emergency Services on the ground, in the air, and wherever they need to operate – helping them connect for good and protect the communities they serve nationwide,” he continued. 

Join us at next year’s Connected North, 23-24 April in London. Get discounted tickets here! 

Also in the news:
New European Commissioners set sights on bloc’s international competitiveness
Namibia halts Starlink operations amid licensing dispute  
Deutsche Telekom replaces Huawei kit in new Nokia deal