Logicalis toasts Welsh shared services success

Integrator claims that 90 per cent of Welsh public sector firms are using its shared WAN service

Integrator Logicalis has confirmed that its public sector-focused broadband network is being used by more than 100 Welsh public sector bodies spanning 5,000 sites.

The Public Sector Broadband Aggregation (PBSA) network was designed and deployed by Logicalis in 2007 to provide shared wide area networking (WAN) services to public sector bodies in Wales.

Logicalis claimed the move to shared services has saved the Welsh public sector money in procurement costs, as each organisation previously had to source and purchase its own WAN services.

At launch, the service was expected to be used by 1,000 sites across the region, and is now used by 90 per cent of the health, education, local government and third-sector organisations.

Peter Jones, deputy director of online services and infrastructure for the Welsh government, said: "Wales has the infrastructure and the opportunities to work collaboratively at a scale that was not possible before.

"There is a strong desire from Welsh government for more [shared] services, and the network we have in place makes it possible to integrate information and provide 21st-century services," said Jones.

Tom Kelly, managing director of Logicalis, added: "In times of fiscal uncertainty the public wants to see that money is being used as wisely as possible, and having 103 organisations working together is the best demonstration of public sector investment being made in the most efficient way possible."