It will provide thousands of mobile connections for workers and sensors for real-time reporting of critical events for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
BT has signed a multi-million-pound contract with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for thousands of mobile connections. They will be used for real-time reporting of critical events, like flooding and outbreaks of disease among farm animals.
The contract is to run for up to five years across England, Scotland and Wales. It will use EE’s mobile network to provide 34,000 connections for workers and a range of devices, from water sensors to payment machines.
The connectivity will enable reporting of real-time data on aspects like water quality, extreme weather events, flood risks and the spread of disease through farming crops or livestock.
It will also support workers across the Department and its Cluster Members including The Environment Agency, Animal, Plant & Health Agency, Natural England, Marine Management Organisation and The Rural Payment Agency.
Green targets
BT has committed to reduce DEFRA’s carbon output as part of the deal through deployment of tools including eSims and BT’s Carbon Dashboard, which displays the consumption of electricity and carbon emissions down to an individual’s workload or application level.
Andy Rowe, BT’s Director of Central Government, said, “For organisations with large fleets and field workers, hybrid working is about more than just home and office spaces. Staying connected on the go is critical for DEFRA’s workers who rely on mobile connectivity to operate effectively and serve the wider public community daily or in emergency situations.”
BT also has contracts with national and local government, more than 200 NHS trusts, 43 police forces, 29 fire services and has supported the emergency services by handling all incoming 999 calls since 1937.
