Capita plc today announces that it is the first supplier to be granted final approval for connection to the latest interface as the transition to the Emergency Services Network (ESN) continues.
Replacing the existing Airwave network, ESN, which is funded by the Home Office, will deliver a new mobile communications solution that will support emergency services across the UK.
Capita’s integrated communications control system (ICCS) has successfully passed the Network Approval Testing Scheme (NATS) process, a mandatory requirement for all systems before they can be connected to the ESN. This makes Capita’s ICCS compliant with the latest ESN interface, enabling emergency services organisations to continue to provide mission-critical communications to support their operations.
This is the third time Capita has been the first supplier to demonstrate and achieve formal approval against new interfaces as the transition to the Emergency Services Network (ESN) continues. The first was achieving conformance certification for the interface to the Dispatch Communication Server (DCS) in August 2020 and the second was the development of an approved interface to the Kodiak 9.1 specifications in October.
Matt Palmer, product director, Capita’s Secure Solutions and Services, said: "This approval, the first in the UK, is another major achievement in the programme and is a key enabler for our first deployment. Capita is a strategic supplier to the UK emergency services and we will continue to work with all our clients to ensure they are ready for transition and are ESN enabled."
David Topping, control rooms technical lead at ESN, Home Office, said: “The first step for the control room element of this programme has been to develop a new interface for ESN, and the second is to test it, which is what gaining NATS accreditation formally does for us. We now have a certified product, which is a significant step on the journey to ESN readiness. It is the formal test that proves it can successfully and safely connect to ESN.”
