Alongside local police, the public authority for the Square Mile has signed a contract that will cover the creation, implementation and support over the coming years of new connectivity infrastructure

The City of London Corporation has put in place a multimillion-pound decade-long agreement for new network to serve local government and policing services in the historic heart of the capital.

The corporation – a local authority, with responsibilities covering the ‘Square Mile’ that now houses London’s financial district – last month entered into a 10-year contract with Berkshire-based IT provider Roc Technologies. The deal, which addresses the needs of both the City of London Corporation and Police (COL and COLP), concerns delivery of a “future network programme”, according a recently published commercial notice.

“COL and COLP are seeking to appoint a managed service provider to design, implement, transition, and manage a modern, secure, and resilient network service across their combined estate,” the document adds. “This includes delivering a future network solution encompassing SASE (Secure Access Service Edge), SD-WAN, LAN/Wi-Fi, internet connectivity, and associated network security services, supporting approximately 120 corporation sites, 100 additional CCTV sites and 12 police sites across varied environments – from mission-critical datacentres to ruggedised CCTV installations.”

The notice indicates the City wishes to implement to help “adopt a cloud-first, WiFi-first approach with integrated security and flexibility for remote working”. The new infrastructure will also “support major programmes, including the delivery of network services to the new City of London Police HQ at Salisbury Square by early 2026”, the procurement document adds.

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Over the coming months and years, the appointed supplier lead the entire process of designing and deploying the future network, and supporting migration from existing systems and services. Roc Technologies will also “manage and coordinate specialist sub-suppliers for hardware, cabling, and ruggedised installations”, as well as undertaking efforts to “provide ongoing network monitoring, performance assurance, and incident response”, the notice says.

The value of the engagement for providing these services is £26.6m, inclusive of VAT.

In common with the 32 boroughs of London, the City Corporation provides the services of a local council to the area’s residents – who, unlike the city-sized populations of the boroughs, number less than 10,000. The organisation also has other roles beyond that of a typical local authority, including promoting the City as a financial centre, and maintaining various historic sites and green spaces – both in the Square Mile and beyond.

Covering a relatively small area north of Thames and to the east of what is now considered the centre of London, the City houses sites including the Bank of England, St Paul’s Cathedral, and the Barbican development. It represents the area in which London was established by the Romans more than 2,000 years ago, and from which the wider city has since expanded greatly in all directions.