Capita secures ESN infrastructure contract for London Underground

The contract is worth £23.5 million over 12 months and will support mobile and data communications for all emergency services on the new network.

Capita will be responsible for the design, installation and testing of network cables in tunnels as well as installation and testing of ‘local area network’ infrastructure on platforms and in stations.

Once ‘live’, the ESN will provide mobile connectivity services, including 4G, to enable emergency services teams throughout the London Underground environment to communicate. The infrastructure being delivered by Capita will be used by mobile network provider EE to enable emergency services to operate efficiently across London Underground.

Mark Cook, executive officer of Capita’s Technology Solutions division, said: “We are working closely with TfL to design and deliver this bespoke network infrastructure to prepare London Underground for when the ESN becomes available.”

Shashi Verma, chief technology officer at TfL, said: “This contract delivers key elements of the infrastructure required to bring the new ESN to the London Underground network. With close to half of the Tube located underground, it’s vital that this system will help support the police, fire and ambulance services if they are required to help our customers.”

The ESN is a programme led and directly funded by the Home Office to deliver a new emergency services mobile communications solution across the UK.

The ESN will replace the existing Airwave network in the UK to provide faster and more resilient network connectivity across all emergency services communications’ channels – for police, fire and rescue and ambulance services – and will work independently from public mobile phone networks.