ACT government telecomms network boosted

Dimension Data will supply, install and maintain Cisco switching equipment for the ACT government's new data network, which is due for completion by September next year.

The MAN project is expected to save the ACT government in excess of AU$20 million over 10 years.

The ACT government's telecommunications request for proposal covered provision of all telecommunications infrastructure for the territory, including data network, telephony services, mobile phone services and Internet services.

The preferred tenders for a contract to implement the VoIP component of the telecommunications project were also announced this week. Dimension Data and Cisco and TransACT were confirmed as the preferred vendors for the AU$5 million a year deal, with contract negotiations scheduled to be finalised by September this year.

"This network implementation is set to deliver considerable savings to the ACT government and represents a major change to the way in which data communication services are provided to ACT government departments," said Michael Vanderheide, general manager of the ACT government's insourced computer and telecommunications agency, InTACT.

The MAN solution, built on Cisco technology, covers over 14,000 switch ports and more than 100 routed VPN sites across the ACT region.

The core of this solution is based on the Cisco Catalyst Switch architecture connecting more than 13 core sites and over 200 precinct sites via a private fibre link or routed broadband VPN WAN being built by InTACT and other partners.

The network will also provide inline power capabilities and allow the ACT government to move towards a fully converged architecture over the next few years, delivering voice, video and data services over the one network infrastructure.

In addition to the installation, Dimension Data has also entered into a five year maintenance services contract with InTACT to support switching equipment in the ACT government network.