Supermarket giant Tesco has signed a £100m network deal with Cable&Wireless for data, fixed and mobile voice telecommunications.

Central to the five-year plan is the migration of the group’s existing systems into a single IP network, with 40 times the capacity of the retailer’s current structure.

The network will connect more than 1,800 Tesco sites including stores, regional offices and distribution centres, as well as operations in 14 other countries worldwide.

Alongside voice over IP, fixed-mobile convergence will be used to improve communications in areas such as logistics, with staff using existing mobile handsets to act as fixed lines and operating as a roaming mobile when on the move.

In-store information kiosks and videoconferencing applications are in the pipeline for future network rollout.