London, 16 August 2012: Kcom, the leading managed communication services provider, has worked with Dorset County Council to complete the initial roll out of the Public Services Network (PSN) for Dorset in time for this summer’s sporting events. The Dorset PSN (DPSN) Framework Agreement was procured in July last year and Dorset County Council was the first public sector body to subscribe to a range of PSN communication services including a Wide Area Network (WAN) and unified communication services.

The network that has been created is a shared resource and any public sector body in Dorset and surrounding areas can draw upon the framework. The completion of the WAN roll-out connects 400 sites across the county including council offices, libraries and schools.

Dorset had a strict deadline to complete the transition over to the PSN before its existing connectivity contract expired and ahead of the sporting events in August. “We’re delighted that together Kcom and the County Council have been able to complete the roll out of the WAN within our deadline,” says Elaine Taylor, Director for Corporate Resources and Chair of the DPSN Partnership Board at Dorset County Council. “The completion is a tremendous step in creating easier pathways for shared public services for Dorset residents by enabling more coordinated working between government departments and agencies in the county.”

“The completion of the DPSN means that the infrastructure is now in place to enable other public sector bodies in Dorset to draw down services from the PSN,” adds Afshin Attari, Director of Public Sector and Public Services Networks at Kcom. “This will not only enable greater collaboration between public sector organisations in the county, it will also realise greater cost savings for all those involved, ultimately providing better value for money for Dorset residents. At this important milestone, there has been a clear demonstration of a collaborative, working partnership between a public sector organisation and service provider.”

Kcom is the first PSN Service Provider to achieve PSN certification from the Cabinet Office for its Managed Wide Area Network (WAN) solution, the network implemented for the DPSN.