COMMSWORLD has won a £5.8 million digital contract with Glasgow City Council for CCTV and traffic control services.
Edinburgh-headquartered Commsworld will install, manage and support a new full fibre network to support the delivery of the services across the city in a move that is described as key to driving Glasgow's smart city ambitions.
The new network will support Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and 5G network capabilities across the city.
The single-supplier contract, which begins this month, is said to mark a huge step forward in delivering significant benefits to Glasgow, giving the council cutting-edge technological capability to make more informed decisions on its data, and deliver more efficient, targeted services.
READ MORE: Renfrewshire deal ‘largest public sector contract in UK' so far this year
Central to this is the availability of high-speed fibre backhaul capability that will help push forward the implementation of 5G across the city, "greatly accelerating the reach of 5G to all areas of Glasgow and reducing the digital divide”.
Commsworld will also support a range of IoT sensor-enabled automation including noise-monitoring, pollution monitoring, the measuring of footfall, building management, flood and water management.
Ricky Nicol, chief executive of Commsworld, said: “Together with our digital partner CGI we look forward to delivering a state of the art, world-class digital network for Glasgow, a network that can move it a step closer to becoming a global smart city.”
A further part of the deal will see Commsworld bid to tackle digital attainment and economic regeneration in the city by taking on an apprentice, provide a mentoring programme for digital skills and offer work experience placements to those from digitally deprived backgrounds.
Mr Nicol said: “As an indigenous Scottish company we want to help tackle the growing digital divide between rich and poor, and bring true equity to cities like Glasgow. This is especially the case during this period of jobs instability cause by the Covid-19 pandemic. We firmly believe offering apprenticeships and work placements, and mentoring opportunities, will create a ripple effect that in turn will see the creation of a workforce in Scotland fit for the digital future, and plug our digital skills gaps.”
Angus Millar, chair of the Digital Glasgow Board, said: “We recognise the vital role that our digital infrastructure plays in the smooth running of Glasgow, which in turn impacts on the city’s prosperity and productivity." It comes as SSE Enterprise Telecoms announced it is to connect 22 public sector sites across Aberdeen city as part of £10.5m project.
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