Forestry Commission Savings 35% on Network Services with Fresh Agreement
Forestry Commission Upgrades Network Infrastructure with New VoIP System
The Forestry Commission, a governmental organisation responsible for managing England's forests and woodlands, has awarded a new contract to Level 3 Communications for a significant network upgrade. This move comes after the commission's previous VoIP deployment failed to deliver any tactical or commercial advantage.
The new contract, worth £1.3 million, was secured through the Government Procurement Service's Managed Telecommunications Convergence Framework (MTCF). Alongside Level 3 Communications, Virgin Media Business, Siemens, and other approved suppliers are also part of this framework.
The commission's decision to opt for Level 3 Communications was influenced by the need to keep costs down, with this factor accounting for 50% of the scoring during the supplier selection process.
The commission's previous attempt at VoIP deployment was through its contract with Global Crossing, but the project proved unsuccessful. Interestingly, the Forestry Commission initially signed a six-year, £2 million contract with Global Crossing in 2006, which was later acquired by Level 3.
The failure of the previous VoIP project was primarily due to the complexity of the contract with Global Crossing, rather than a failure of the supplier itself. Smith, from the Forestry Commission, explained that the project was too complex to manage effectively, leading to its eventual demise.
In light of the growing demand for mobile networking from both the public and the commission's staff, the Forestry Commission is now investigating the possibilities for mobile networking technologies to help serve its dispersed footprint.
As part of the new contract, Level 3 Communications will install and operate a new voice-over IP telephony system for the Forestry Commission. This system, based on technology from unified communications supplier Mitel, will provide the commission with data, voice networking, video conferencing, and VoIP services.
In addition to the new VoIP system, the Forestry Commission is upgrading its network infrastructure. This includes installing a 100Mb network connection at its head office in Edinburgh and 10Mb links at some smaller sites.
The Forestry Commission's network is GSi (Government Secure Intranet) accredited, requiring tight security. Smith mentioned that there are complex demands in balancing security with serving people's mobile needs.
The Forestry Commission's technology footprint is geographically diverse, including network-connected PCs in 'fridges' located in various forests for data entry on deer carcasses. Despite this, there is no publicly available information about which companies applied for or were awarded the Managed Telecommunications Convergence Framework contract by the Forestry Commission.
In this new deal with Level 3 Communications, the Forestry Commission has reduced its annual telecommunication services cost from £2 million to £1.3 million. This reduction in cost, combined with the benefits of the new VoIP system and network infrastructure upgrade, promises to improve the commission's operations and service delivery.
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