SSE Enterprise Telecoms and Telent are working together to keep the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) connected to support maritime safety in UK coastal waters.
The project will see SSE Enterprise Telecoms connect four data centres and deploy a resilient Ethernet network directly into 165 of the MCA’s remote radio sites to support Telent in keeping them online 24×7, 365 days a year.
Operating remote sites around the UK coastline, the MCA is in charge of public safety along the coastline and at sea, responding to over 31,000 incidents of distress and 999 calls in the last year. Reliable and resilient connectivity is vital to enable it to respond quickly and effectively, but with many of its coastguard radio sites located in remote, hard to access locations, finding appropriate network services that would ensure always-available connectivity was challenging.
Peter Asman, Managing Director for Public Sector at SSE Enterprise Telecoms, commented that his company had developed considerable expertise in supplying critical infrastructure services. “SSE Enterprise Telecoms has become a trusted voice in managing and deploying Critical National Infrastructure for some of the UK’s most vital organisations,” he said. “As we continue to embark on a period of rapid growth and expansion, partnering with like-minded businesses such as Telent will be key in bringing high-capacity, highly resilient services to more UK organisations, keeping our critical infrastructure safe and futureproofing the UK’s digital ambitions as a result.”
Peter Moir, Managing Director of Network Services at Telent, commented that SSE Enterprise Telecoms was the “perfect partner” for Telent’s needs. “At Telent, we pride ourselves on being at the heart of critical digital infrastructure…The demands of a 24-hour search and rescue team means that downtime is never an option. By being at the forefront of technology deployment, together we will ensure that the new network delivers performance and reliability, so we can support the important lifesaving work of HM Coastguard.”
SSE Enterprise Telecoms is in the middle of significant network expansion, having recently announced plans to double its network reach, unbundling over 550 BT exchanges and adding 30,000 km of fibre to its network by the end of 2021.
