Greater Manchester appoints partners to spearhead digital revolution

Greater Manchester is launching a new partnership to deliver the GM One Network and revolutionise data connectivity across its public estate, including schools, community centres and fire stations.

Partners will deliver the GM One Network to provide a single network infrastructure across many public sector organisations to improve efficiency, security and reliability, as well as considerable cost savings over the next ten years.

The partnership currently includes Stockport, Oldham, Rochdale and Bury Councils; Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM); Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue (GMFRS) and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), who are set to work together with Cisco and Engage ESM to provide faster and more resilient data connections to over 1,300 public sites in the city-region including many schools, community centres, fire stations and traffic control signals, building on previous work to deliver the city-region’s Local Full Fibre Network.

The initiative includes a comprehensive, multi-year social value programme, including support for start-up businesses in Greater Manchester to create new products and services that deliver positive outcome for communities. There is also a further commitment to create apprenticeships and mentoring opportunities across the city-region and support efforts to tackle digital exclusion.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester said:

“This is a huge achievement for Greater Manchester’s public sector and really demonstrates the value of collaboration. Through transforming our public services we are boosting our towns and cities, cementing our position as a world leading digital-city-region. Ensuring our services are more efficient supports our ambition that everyone in Greater Manchester, whatever their age, location or situation, can benefit from the opportunities digital brings.”

Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, GMCA Portfolio Lead for Education, Skills, Work, Apprenticeships and Digital, said:

“We’re ensuring that Greater Manchester has the digital infrastructure it needs to be a world class digital city-region. For our people, having the right infrastructure in place can remove barriers to social, economic and public sector reform objectives. It’s great that once again, our partnerships with the private sector include strong social value commitments, that will be of real benefit to our people across the region. I’m pleased to see progress in this space that continues to ensure citizens across Greater Manchester can benefit for the opportunities that digital brings.”

Adele Every, Head of Public Sector, Cisco UK & Ireland, which will design, implement and operate the network on behalf of the involved partners, said: 

“How regions design and deploy networks today will underpin the experiences of people across the UK for decades to come. GM One Network will enable new ways of working; it will underpin how public sector organisations in Greater Manchester deliver services, supporting collaboration across the public sector and crucially, goes beyond the technology, with the creation of an ecosystem to build the skills and programmes that will ensure that everyone in Greater Manchester can benefit. We’re delighted to be working with GMCA and the wider set of public and private sector partners on what we believe will create a blueprint for cities and regions around the world.”