Derby City Council has appointed communications integrator Affiniti to help deliver more efficient and improved services to citizens by installing a new network across its four main sites in the city centre.

Using the network, the 12,500 strong Council workforce will be able to take advantage of improved application services and shared information across 200 locations spread over the City. Approximately 250,000 people living in Derby and over 100 groups within the voluntary sector are set to benefit from the more streamlined communications set-up, most notably from DerbyDirect, the Council's contact centre.

The increasing demand for collaborative working and information sharing across the Council departments will be supported, improving administration and reducing inefficiencies.  Shared services will include web hosting, payment services and customer information systems.

The Council will also use the new network to showcase best practise, providing guidance and advice for 47 other Local Authorities in the East Midlands area and encourage the development of shared services across the East Midlands.  Furthermore, it will support development of robust business continuity and disaster recovery facilities.

Miles Peters, Technical Design Analyst at Derby County Council, said: "Affiniti offered us a service, not just a technology, and the company's consultative approach goes above and beyond providing increased bandwidth. We chose Affiniti because they offered us a solution that really meets our needs " it was the most cost effective, scaleable and resilient. Another key element was the extensive reach of Affiniti's network across the East Midlands."�

"Affiniti's solution will form the foundation on which all current and future communications across the East Midlands will sit, supporting a range of new services and systems over the coming years on which new networks will be deployed. Sometimes we are called upon to provide services in the most unexpected locations, the latest being to link the cameras on the Cathedral tower for a pair of nesting Peregrine falcons."�
 
Gary Young, Managing Director for Affiniti, said: "Affiniti's converged communications solution will be at the heart of the Derby City Council's future. Derby's Council workforce will benefit from a more collaborative way of working and quicker access to information, while citizens will gain a better level of service. The network will set the standard for the surrounding authorities in the East Midlands.''

The new IP network is based on Adva equipment with Optical Wave Division Multiplexing technology and connected to Affiniti's national fibre network.  This provides cost-effective increased bandwidth links to other sites in Derby and across the East Midlands with improved resilience.

The network will be fully monitored and managed by Affiniti over the next three years.  The converged infrastructure will be at the heart of the long term future of Derby City Council's communications system, as the Authority increasingly deploys IP based applications.

Affiniti, the communications integrator, specialises in designing, implementing and managing intelligent communications solutions for private and public sector organisations.

Some of its customers include: Experian, Carphone Warehouse, British Airways, Ford, Admiral Insurance, Edinburgh Telford College , Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen Hospital , Cheshire Police, Citigroup, Lloyds TSB.

Affiniti is part of the KCOM Group.

KCOM Group PLC provides a range of integrated IT and communications services to businesses, and internet and telecommunications services to selected consumer markets, within the UK .

The Group's portfolio of businesses works with both leading private enterprise customers and public sector organisations. Through its Affiniti, Smart421 and JAM IP brands, the Group delivers solutions covering unified communications, contact centre solutions, data management, applications integration and managed services.

The KCOM Group also includes a regionally-focused business, Kingston Communications, which supports small to medium-sized businesses. Through its KC and Eclipse brands, the business offers a wide range of internet-based and telecommunications services. The regional business also provides telephony and internet services to targeted consumers through its KC, Eclipse and Karoo brands.

The Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange and employs over 2,700 people across the UK .

Emma Turner
Nelson Bostock Communications
020 7792 7440
E: emma.turner@nelsonbostock.com

Dianne White
Affiniti
01442 883370
E: dianne.white@affiniti.com