Rail operator awards major network upgrade deal to O2 Unify

Network Rail has signed up O2 Unify to overhaul its Cisco switch and router estate across 450 sites as part of a company-wide strategy to cut costs.

The work will involve four UK datacentres.

The contract is worth several million and will last for three years.

O2 Unify was created last year as a joint venture between the communications company and IT services provider 2e2.

O2 Unify will initially provide support and maintenance services for Network Rail's current Cisco switch and router estate. It will then refresh the Cisco estate to help support the future requirements of the business.

O2 will also provide the Cisco LAN and WAN infrastructure for National Rail's new national centre, The Quadrant in Milton Keynes, which will see 3,500 new staff move in this summer.

The LAN and WAN infrastructure has been designed to deliver mission-critical network resiliency and availability at a low cost, helping Network Rail meet its commitment to reducing costs by 21 per cent over five years.

"We are working with Network Rail to deliver critical backbone infrastructure that will improve the smooth running of the business," said O2 general manager for enterprise David Plumb.