The Metropolitan Police has signed an £18m deal with consultancy Detica to provide communications support over the next five years.

Under the terms of the contract, Detica will provide the force's PDA devices and mobile data terminals, which allow vehicles to share information with a central dispatch office. The agreement will also cover the rollout of supporting technical infrastructure.

Detica's decision to broaden its client base is a wise move, according to Ovum analyst Georgina O`Toole.

"This is a good win for Detica, as the company has used some of its security market knowledge and information intelligence expertise to further penetrate the UK public sector market outside of its traditional national security stomping ground," said O'Toole.

"In its last financial year, the national security business made up 82 per cent of Detica's UK government revenues. So any move to a more even contribution from national security and non-national security clients is welcome."