Telent builds new network for Greater Manchester, UK public sector agencies
Telent builds new network for Greater Manchester, UK public sector agencies
The company helped develop the Greater Manchester (GM) One Network for Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).
Greater Manchester, UK-based public sector organizations will be able to access digital services faster thanks to a new network built by infrastructure specialist Telent in partnership with Cisco.
Telent was tasked with assisting with the design, build and management of the Greater Manchester (GM) One Network for Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and other partners, including Transport for Greater Manchester (TFGM) and Bury, Rochdale, Stockport and Oldham local authorities.
According to the GMCA, the GM One Network will create faster and more resilient data connections to over 1,300 public sites across the city region, including many schools, community centers, fire stations, and traffic control signals.
“I’m pleased to see continued collaborative work and the delivery of a multi-year social value program for organizations and our people across Greater Manchester through programs like the GM One Network program,” said Councillor Nick Peel, GMCA Portfolio lead for Digital City-Region. “This includes business mentoring, creation of apprenticeship opportunities and support for start-up businesses to build new products and services.”
He added, “The work Telent is doing in this space supports our aim to tackle the digital divide and will enable Greater Manchester to continue to grow as a world-leading digital city region.”
Room for growth
The core network is close to completion and has a current backbone speed of 100G. Telent designed the network to allow expansion and adoption of 400G and above speeds in the future on the existing platform. This will support all regional public sector organizations, with the first of the 1,300 locations being connected to the new network in early 2024.
GMCA's “do things once” approach will provide a single active network across Greater Manchester with separate virtual networks for each organization. It aims to provide cost savings – eliminating the need for individual networks and infrastructure services – and service improvements by streamlining systems and reducing duplication.
Leverage and extend
The Digital Blueprint for Greater Manchester aims to become what the GMCA says is a world-class digital city region. The blueprint sets out many priorities, including ensuring everyone in the area can safely access and benefit from the opportunities digital technology brings if they want to, such as accessing relevant online public services.
It also commits to helping the residents of Greater Manchester become confident internet users. One key goal in this framework was building digital infrastructure for the region and leveraging network assets across the public sector.
Room for growth
The core network is close to completion and has a current backbone speed of 100G. Telent designed the network to allow expansion and adoption of 400G and above speeds in the future on the existing platform. This will support all regional public sector organizations, with the first of the 1,300 locations being connected to the new network in early 2024.
GMCA's “do things once” approach will provide a single active network across Greater Manchester with separate virtual networks for each organization. It aims to provide cost savings – eliminating the need for individual networks and infrastructure services – and service improvements by streamlining systems and reducing duplication.
Leverage and extend
The Digital Blueprint for Greater Manchester aims to become what the GMCA says is a world-class digital city region. The blueprint sets out many priorities, including ensuring everyone in the area can safely access and benefit from the opportunities digital technology brings if they want to, such as accessing relevant online public services.
It also commits to helping the residents of Greater Manchester become confident internet users. One key goal in this framework was building digital infrastructure for the region and leveraging network assets across the public sector.
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GM One Network’s single network approach
Spearheaded by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the GM One Network is focused on developing an active network infrastructure that will serve many public sector organizations.
GM One Network consists of a physical active network across Greater Manchester with separate virtual networks for each organization. GMCA said in a web post that the network will ensure that all organizations get the full exploitation of the investment in Greater Manchester’s Local Full Fibre Network (LFFN) Program. The Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) Programme has connected over 1,500 public sites across the city region.
Sean Buckley
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