Public Sector Bodies in the GNND speak out about PSN experiences

Slough, UK, 12th September 2012: Logicalis UK has today published an independent analyst report detailing the achievements to date of the Gwent Neighbourhood Network Design (GNND) project, the largest regional consortium to invest in the Welsh Public Sector Network (PSN); The PSBA (Public Sector Broadband Aggregation) network.

Undertaken by Severne independent public sector analysts, the report, entitled ‘Gwent Neighbourhood Network Project: reaping the benefits of a bold and strategic decision’, provides in-depth interviews from the eight public sector bodies involved and examines the factors which have brought this collaborative project to life and those driving its development.

Tom Kelly, MD of Logicalis UK comments, “The report provides substantial detail on the key elements of a successful PSN directly from those that have done it. It is a great resource for any public sector body or consortium considering PSN today. From project inception to ongoing service delivery and operations, the report highlights the necessary stages, considerations and decisions required to make these complex, but now critical, shared communications services succeed.”

The GNND project launched in 2011 and brings together health, unitary authority, education and police services. This report is based on interviews with senior representatives of each of the organisations involved; Aneurin Bevan Health Board, Blaenau Gwent Borough Council, Caerphilly County Borough Council, Coleg Gwent, Gwent Police, Monmouthshire County Borough Council, Newport County Borough Council and Torfaen County Borough Council.

Speaking about the project from a personal perspective and a public sector point of view, the report highlights how the organisations built their business cases for involvement with GNND, the technical, financial and collaborative hurdles, their return on investment expectation and achievement, and the multiple plans underway for further value-added services and projects within each organisation to improve front line services from collaboration.

The project is on target to reach its objective of deploying 1,000 new WAN circuits over 18 months, ending in December 2012. The report not only details the real-world accounts of the individual organisations in reaching this, but also includes insight into the technical services used such as cloud-based network connections at a lower cost, architecture that enables shared circuits, shared buildings, colocation and collaboration services.

Peter Clarke, the author of the report and senior analyst at Severne Ltd., says, “The level of enthusiasm the participants show for the project is impressive, as is their vision of the future and the determination to deliver real, cashable, benefits from collaboration in their own organisations and across the Gwent public sector. All want to share in the benefits which GNND can bring.”

You can download the full report, here http://www.uk.logicalis.com/pdf/Logicalis__GNNP.pdf or for more information on the Logicalis PSN Framework go to http://www.uk.logicalis.com/solutions-and-services/public-sector-solutions/psn-delivery-framework.aspx