Private networks include fibre, Wi-Fi and some 5G as foundations for smart bases of the future
BT Business has secured a five-year contract with the British Army to provide and manage Wi-Fi service across 162 new UK army sites as a foundation for ‘smart bases’. Coverage will include “offices, hangars, training facilities, technical accommodation and workshops”, and “recreation spaces, messes, sports, and dining facilities”.
BT is in the process of is setting up a smart base the army’s premises in Larkhill, Wiltshire, southwest England, with fibre broadband and private 5G. Not surprisingly, there is great emphasis on network security in the contract on security, as well as performance and availability.
Expanding establishe partnership
The multi-million pound deal could be expanded affair, has the potential to expand the contract to other defence organisations, including the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, according to BT.
BT already has a long-established partnership with the British Armed Forces, which covers 200 Ministry of Defence (MoD) sites in the UK, Cyprus, and Germany. The Wi-Fi infrastructure and the private 5G deployments when deployed, will be managed by BT’s defence team over the term of the five-year contract at least.
BT Business comprises BT’s former enterprise and global sales divisions; both were struggling when they were combined at the start of this year.
Marc Overton was formerly head boss of BT’s now defunct Division X unit, which was also folded into its Business division. As a reservist brigadier and assistant chief of defence staff, he was appointed to the non-executive board of the MoD’s Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) procurement division in May.
Programme THEIA
Major General John Collyer, Information Director with the British Army, said, “This is another critical delivery under the ambitious British Army Digital Transformation Initiative – Programme THEIA. We are thrilled to partner with BT for the Army Estate Wide Internet work – which will deliver ubiquitous internet access across our estate – for business use, research, leisure, gaming, innovation, trials and more.
“Another leap forward, and I thank the staff of BT and in Army HQ for their Herculean work getting us to this stage. It will make a huge difference for our people and our outputs.”