IBM, Samsung and Ericsson win ESN contract ‘following a series of delays by previous suppliers’IBM, Samsung and Ericsson win ESN contract ‘following a series of delays by previous suppliers’

The new communications network will modernise how frontline emergency services they work together, says an announcement by the Home Office, “following a series of delays by previous suppliers.” While the previous suppliers weren't named, Motorola was axed from the project in 2023 and it was recently reported by the Telegraph that BT was in the running.

The ESN is supposed to support more than 300,000 emergency responders with better technology and faster access to data in emergency situations and frontline operations. Police forces, fire services and ambulance trusts will be able to share live data and imagery, location reports and public safety information as they engage in rescue and response efforts.

Ericsson will be providing its Core Network and Business and Operations Support Systems portfolios for the project, while IBM will be responsible for leading the design, build and system integration of the ESN platform, and Samsung's MCPTX solution will enable multimedia sharing in real-time.

"We're thrilled to participate in this world-leading project that will transform public safety and national security across the UK,” said Katherine Ainley, CEO of Ericsson UK & Ireland. “Leveraging our global expertise in telecommunications and mission-critical networks, we are proud to contribute to the creation of a next-generation Emergency Services Network that will redefine global standards for emergency response systems. This cutting-edge technology will enhance the efficiency and safety of our emergency responders, enabling them to work more effectively and ultimately, save lives."

Rahul Kalia, Managing Partner at IBM UK and Ireland added: “We are proud to support the Emergency Services Network (ESN) in delivering a secure and resilient communications platform to empower frontline emergency services. Working with our ecosystem partners, we will deliver mission-critical services for first responders to enhance safety in our communities across Great Britain. We look forward to working with the government to deliver this in a timely and cost-effective manner.”

EE was given the contract to build ESN in 2015 as part of a new Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme to replace the old Airwave system, which had been doing the job for two decades. Last month BT/EE landed a £1.29 billion contract with the Home Office to provide mobile services for the ESN for the next seven years.

Since its inception the project has been beset with issues. In 2018 the Home Office announced the project would be set back by three years, having initially planned for it go online by mid-2017.

In 2019 the National Audit office delivered a scathing assessment of the project, criticising the costs as well as other things, stating: “The Home Office expects ESN to be cheaper than Airwave in the long run, but the savings will not outweigh the costs until at least 2029. This is already seven years later than originally intended. The Home Office believes that ESN will bring £1.5 billion in financial and economic benefits by 2037. The largest economic benefit (£643 million) is associated with increases in police productivity. Police representatives told the NAO that they had not agreed these figures with the Home Office.”