• Five-year terminals managed service contract
• Implementation of Airwave radio communications network
• First-ever deployment of end-to-end performance management

NTL Broadcast's Public Safety group, the UK's largest provider of radio communications managed services, has won a competitive tender to implement the migration of Cheshire Constabulary's radio network from analogue to digital.  The managed service contract, which is worth around £3.5m over five years, will for the first time see NTL looking after every aspect of the integrated system together with on-going performance management of third-party suppliers.

The Cheshire Constabulary, which has recently relocated from its Chester base to new headquarters in Winsford, has opted to entrust NTL with the project as a direct result of successful implementation in regions such as Thames Valley, Dorset and Northumbria.  NTL will install and configure TETRA radios, monitor suppliers to the project and provide ongoing performance management of both the Airwave service and the force's new ICCS control room system after installation.

"NTL has a strong heritage of delivering reliable, fully-managed communications solutions to public safety and public sector organisations", said Richard Grant, Strategy Development Manager in NTL's Public Safety group.  "The move to digital is no simple matter and our experience of the legacy systems will ensure a seamless migration to the new technology.  Not only that, the Force has asked us to look after the end-to-end system in a five-year performance management contract."

Airwave is the government-funded nationwide mobile TETRA radio service, designed to enable emergency services in England, Wales and Scotland to communicate seamlessly over a universal platform.  NTL currently works with over 75% of Public Safety radio communications support services and specialises in migration planning and managed service provision for the new digital platform.  NTL maintains strong industry partnerships and technology independence, providing the emergency services with ‘best-value' solutions to meet their exact requirements.

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