BT has secured a significant £1.29 billion contract with the UK Home Office to enhance and maintain the UK’s Emergency Services Network (ESN) over the next seven years. This agreement reaffirms BT’s vital role in providing mobile services to support essential emergency communications in the country.
The ESN leverages the 4G network to provide reliable voice, video, and data communication for emergency services such as police, fire, and ambulance. It ensures rapid and effective responses by allowing access to real-time information, even in remote locations and during high network traffic periods. Priority is given to these services, guaranteeing seamless communication during urgent situations.
Since 2015, BT’s EE division has been instrumental in transitioning from the outdated Airwave system, previously owned by Motorola, to the new ESN. This initiative involves upgrading over 19,500 existing 4G sites, increasing rural coverage, and forming a dedicated core network to prioritize emergency communications.
Despite these efforts, the project has faced notable delays. Initially expected to be fully operational by 2019, the completion is now projected for 2029, a decade later than planned. By March 2023, the government had invested £2 billion into the project, with an additional £2.9 billion spent on maintaining the Airwave infrastructure.
With this new contract, BT seeks to expedite the project and update the necessary infrastructure for over 300,000 users. This includes managing the Air-to-Ground network, extending area services, and supporting connectivity for the London Underground alongside key road and rail tunnels.
A key component of this contract focuses on enhancing indoor connectivity. Plans are in motion for the largest coverage solution rollout in UK history, meeting Public Safety Communications Services standards.
Bas Burger, CEO of BT’s business unit, emphasized, “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.”
Essential public services rely heavily on robust digital infrastructures. Through their acclaimed EE mobile network, BT aims to continue providing dependable mission-critical communications for emergency services across diverse environments, thereby supporting their efforts to protect communities nationwide.
