UK mobile operator Vodafone plans to launch four enterprise divisions to help the government reduce the country’s burgeoning public sector deficit.
The business units, Health, Criminal Justice, Local Government and Central Government, will “go live” from…
UK mobile operator Vodafone plans to launch four enterprise divisions to help the government reduce the country’s burgeoning public sector deficit.
The business units, Health, Criminal Justice, Local Government and Central Government, will “go live” from March, Vodafone UK enterprise director Peter Kelly told reporters in London today.
Kelly declined to give specific investment details ahead of the operator’s financial results on Thursday, but told TelecomFinance: “The public sector is a really big part of our growth plan.”
The enterprise market currently represents about 30% of Vodafone’s UK business. Vodafone aims to further integrate itself within public sector networks to build on an MoU signed with the government in October to help reduce the UK’s deficit.
The government is looking to find savings across the public sector of £23bn in 2011-12, rising to £81bn by 2014-15. Although the health sector has been ring-fenced from these cuts, it too is facing significant challenges to streamline its processes, Kelly added.
He also announced a new four-year agreement with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to make it easier to procure and take advantage of mobile technology.
The contract will see the group continue to support the force’s network of mobiles, which can be used for administration purposes to limit an officer’s time spent at headquarters.
As well as increasing the productivity of police officers, who current spend 20-30% of their time dealing with paper work, mobile technology can help increase their visibility on the streets, he said.
“We have over 20 years’ experience in delivering business critical services to nearly a million customers in the public sector and are proud we can continue to support the vital work of the UK’s police forces,” added Kelly.
“This agreement clearly demonstrates our commitment to delivering value for money, total communications services for both the Met and other UK police forces so they can further exploit opportunities to use communications technology to improve productivity, drive efficiencies and reduce costs.”