Deal with EE and Motorola Solutions completes the arrangements for Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme
The Home Office has concluded the arrangements for the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP), with deals for EE and Motorola Solutions to join Lots 2 and 3 of the contract.
They will join Kellogg, Brown & Root in providing new Emergency Services Network (ESN), which the department said will provide more flexibility than the old system when it goes into operation in mid-2017.
Responsibilities
EE will be responsible for providing enhanced radio access with nationwide coverage, and Motorola will take on the delivery of the user services contract, providing systems integration and public safety functionality.
Kellogg, Brown & Root has already begun to oversee work on the new ESN.
Minister of State for Policing, Criminal Justice and Victims Mike Penning (pictured) said: “We have carefully evaluated each bidder’s skills and expertise against requirements that were set by the emergency services themselves and are confident that the successful bidders will provide a world class communications network that our services deserve in today’s modern world.”
Among the features promised for the new network are the ability to support live video from body worn cameras at crime scenes, high definition images for hospital consultants to make remote diagnosis, and sharing 3D maps of buildings at fire scenes.
£1 billion boost
In the recent Spending Review the government committed £1 billion to overhaul the ESN, but it is expected to provide savings of £1 million per day.
Penning added that, in addition to the three emergency services, the ESN would be available to more than 300 public safety organisations.
Image from GOV.UK, Open Government Licence v3.0
