BT said the Emergency Services Network (ESN) is a critical communications system designed to deliver secure, mission-critical voice, video and data across the 4G network
BT Group has announced a new £1.29 billion ($1.63 billion) contract with the UK’s Home Office to provide mobile services for the Government’s Emergency Services Network (ESN) over the next seven years.
ESN is a critical communications system designed to deliver secure, mission-critical voice, video and data across the 4G network. It provides first responders across the U.K. with instant access to life-saving information, images and data during emergencies and on the frontline, said BT.
The network prioritizes essential services, such as police, fire and ambulance responders, ensuring their communication remains uninterrupted, even in remote areas or during periods of high network demand.
In 2015, U.K. carrier EE, part of BT Group, was initially tasked by the Home Office to establish ESN as part of the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Program. This program was aimed at replacing the old airwave system. The project leveraged EE’s mobile network and included significant enhancements including the construction of a dedicated core network for ESN to ensure uninterrupted priority access, upgrades to over 19,500 existing 4G sites and expansion of coverage in rural and operationally critical areas and the development of features like priority and pre-emption for emergency services over regular users.
EE’s initial ESN agreement with the Home Office is set to expire on December 31, 2024. Under the new agreement, effective immediately, BT Group will continue expanding ESN to support more than 300,000 users. This will include:
-Maintaining high service availability across EE’s 4G Radio Access Network (RAN).
-Enhancing national coverage with additional connectivity for first responders.
-Taking over management responsibilities for Air-to-Ground (A2G) networks, Extended Area Services (EAS) sites, and coverage in the London Underground and key road and rail tunnels.
BT Group will also undertake the largest single deployment of indoor coverage solutions in the U.K., ensuring ESN meets Public Safety Communications Services (PSCS) standards. The contract spans 7.25 years, with the option for a one-year extension.
Bas Burger, CEO of Business at BT, said: “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 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,” the executive said.
