Energis to build £40m secure government broadband network
Energis has won a major £40m contract to link Whitehall departments, local authorities and government agencies with a new encrypted broadband network for secure email and communications. The new next-generation Government Secure Intranet (GSI) is replaces the existing Cable & Wireless network and is expected to eventually be used by 300,000 people. It will be based on IP virtual private network (VPN) technology. The upgraded network will provide secure direct access between government departments and will use a public key infrastructure (PKI), with a central directory service of contacts and users' digital certificates. Energis beat off competition from 24 other companies, including BT and C&W, after the contract was put out to tender by the commercial procurement arm of the Office of Government Commerce last year. Full Story