Metropolitan Police awards £100m network upgrade contract to BT

BT has been awarded a £100 million contract by Scotland Yard which will see the telecoms firm build a high-speed fixed and wireless network to support the Metropolitan Police force's technology transformation programme.

According to Scotland Yard, the Metropolitan Police is currently looking to change how it uses IT services in the department in order to cut their IT costs, while also modernising their services and practices to match the modernisation of London, including the adoption of body worn cameras.

The force added that a move towards a cloud-based infrastructure is central to this ambition, and aims to allow officers to securely access systems while working away from the office.

In order to support these aims, BT has been contracted to build a new high-spec wide area network, which will connect around 500 of the Metropolitan Police force sites around London, as well as upgrading local area networks.

The firm is also contracted to build a corporate WiFi network around the whole of the force's estate, as well as upgrading systems across the police force's call centres to ensure the smooth handling of 999 calls.

Commenting on the upgrade, Colm O'Neill, managing director of BT Business and Public Sector, highlighted the longstanding relationship between the international firm and London's police department. He also added that BT looks forward to working with the force to help build a better and more productive way for them to work in an increasingly modern London.

"Our systems will greatly enhance the way the force organises itself and responds to crimes across the capital, while reducing its IT and infrastructure costs," Me O'Neill went on to say.

"Moving to a cloud-based infrastructure, for example, will allow the Met to get even more services for less money, helping it to invest in future policing priorities."