Digital infrastructure in the public sector is something that cuts across a lot of our work at Tibus.
Posted on 04 March 2015 - Connectivity
BY Tibus
Digital infrastructure in the public sector is something that cuts across a lot of our work at Tibus.
Firstly, as a supplier to the Government Procurement Service for G-Cloud, we’re helping public sector organisations to improve the efficiency, security and scalability of their infrastructure by using the cloud.
Secondly, as a connectivity supplier, we’re interested in the infrastructure that public sector organisations put in place to support their digital activities.
Thirdly, we are keen to see how public sector digital infrastructure can benefit the end users - businesses and customers.
It is in regard to the last two points that the Cabinet Office’s recently published Public Sector Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure Maps: Interim Publication was particularly relevant.
A review is underway to establish how Government owned, operated or leased networks can improve connectivity for all of the UK.
The interim report included an overview and accompanying maps of some of the networks that have been identified as being suitable for improving connectivity for the public. It made for pretty interesting reading.
Here are the aspects of public sector digital infrastructure highlighted in the report:
Universities and colleges throughout the UK are supported by the high bandwidth and scalable Joint Academic Network (Janet).
A satellite communication system designed to carry information from central government to key locations around the country in response to an emergency.
A network of fibre and copper cables that we drive alongside every single day. They are contained in the verges of motorways and help to operate CCTV, speed cameras, signals, emergency telephones and other roadside infrastructure.
There is a fibre network running along railway tracks across the UK. They currently deal with safety and timetabling data, as well as the rail network’s corporate telecoms and data traffic.
Fibre, copper and radio connectivity provide the Ministry of Defence and associated bodies with secure WAN, telecoms, data and video services.
NHS sites around the country use the private N3 WAN network. This provides connectivity for appointment bookings and electronic transmission of prescriptions to pharmacies.
So, when you plot all those out on a map, as the interim report did, you can see how opening up some of those networks for public use might boost connectivity.
