Nortel partners with BT

is partnering with

as its main supplier to deploy a nationwide communications network that will be used to provide secure managed voice and data services to the

(MOD) and British Armed Forces.

The deployment is part of a five-year extension of the Defence Fixed Telecommunications Service (DFTS) contract with BT - worth up to £1.5 billion to BT - to build and manage the UK MOD's mission critical telecommunications infrastructure.

Using Nortel multiservice switching and voice over IP (VoIP) solutions valued at $42 million, the new network will be built over the next two years. It is expected to provide improved security and responsiveness for the UK military and greater operational and end user efficiencies, resulting in estimated savings of £15 million per year to the UK MOD.

According to Nortel, the infrastructure will provide wide area network services in over 2,000 locations, including voice services to over 200,000 subscribers and common Ethernet-based connectivity to 150,000 terminals.