Network infrastructure

Description

Leeds City Council is going to market for a provider to design and implement a full fibre gigabit capable network (FTTP) to the Council and partner buildings across the Leeds metropolitan district. The fibre infrastructure will give access to circa 1 400 sites with a managed service overlay. The infrastructure will be assured to CESG Assurance Scheme (Telecoms) and provide WAN (Wide Area Network) connectivity to replace the Council’s existing network. The contracting model will be based on two components, an Indefeasible Right of Use (IRU) for the use of the network fibre elements for 25 years and a services contract for the hardware and managed service overlay with an initial term of 7 years and option to extend by 3 years. Full fibre programme Developing more extensive full fibre networks has been prioritised by Government which recognises that the low penetration rate of full fibre connections is a barrier to growth in the UK economy. Currently c.7 % of UK premises are enabled with fibre to the premise (otherwise known as FTTP connectivity), which compares poorly with counterparts in Europe such as Spain and Portugal (71 % and 89 % of premises respectively with FTTP). Outside of London, Leeds has an opportunity to become a Gigabit City of scale ahead of other cities. Leeds City Council is going to market for a provider to build and deliver a full fibre gigabit capable network to the Council and partner buildings across the Leeds metropolitan district. Using the Council’s own network service requirements as the ‘Anchor Tenant’, the Council will seek to accelerate the wider roll out of FTTP to residential and commercial premises adjacent to Council buildings and routes. It is the Council’s ambition to make the Leeds metropolitan district the largest gigabit and 5G capable city outside of London, attracting increased inward investment, increasing the competitiveness of existing businesses and helping to close the digital/social divide in some of the City’s poorest areas. The Leeds Inclusive Growth Strategy articulates an ambition to improve the digital connectivity position of the city. To achieve its vision of ‘A compassionate city with a strong economy’, Leeds City Council is committed to tackling poverty and reducing inequalities. Connectivity is recognised as a foundation layer which underpins the Council’s wider digital inclusion objectives and is referenced in the Best Council Plan 2018 to 2021, the Leeds Inclusive Growth Strategy and Smart Leeds. — improving access to and take up of good quality connectivity options by residents will allow the Council and its partners to explore more widespread digital and telehealth solutions, initiatives to reduce social isolation, and enhanced use of sensors to support independent living, — improving operating conditions for businesses – supporting both the Inclusive growth strategy and the city region strategic economic plan and emerging digital framework to encourage the development of the existing digital and tech sector and all business, irrespective of their activity, to invest in and utilise digital technologies to improve productivity, — widespread proliferation of full fibre networks would also allow for greater use of environmental sensors to support work around traffic management and reducing pollution and support the recent climate emergency declaration made by the Council in reducing emissions to net zero by 2030. As a large organisation with significant connectivity requirements and a large asset base, the Council is seeking to influence the infrastructure position of the city. The Council’s extensive assets and requirements reaching circa 1 400 sites creates an enabling backbone of fibre-optic broadband connectivity to parts of the district which may not have previously benefitted from commercial investment programmes by incumbent operators. The infrastructure will be assured to CESG Assurance Scheme (Telecoms) and provide WAN (Wide Area Network) connectivity to replace the Council’s existing network including requirements to migrate CCTV and Urban Traffic Management Control services.