NYnet enables public sector roaming across North Yorkshire

NYnet - the high-speed broadband connectivity provider set up by North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) - has been selected to provide Govroam to more than 40 public sector bodies.

According to a statement, NYnet will connect NHS organisations, local councils and emergency services across the Yorkshire and Humber Public Services Network to the national public sector roaming service, Govroam.

The deal builds on NYnet’s existing Govroam contract which includes NYCC, district councils and health agencies in the region. It makes the public sector company the biggest provider of Govroam in the UK.

Govroam allows employees of any public sector organisation to connect to their network at any enabled public sector premises.

NYnet was established in 2007 in collaboration with BT Global Services and has since expanded to manage its own high capacity fibre network via 37 ‘Points of Presence’ in BT exchanges.

The company claims to have increased North Yorkshire’s broadband coverage from 60 per cent to more than 90 per cent of premises over the past three years. Following the latest deal it says it aims to “connect all public sector sites across the North of England”.

North Yorkshire county councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said: “It is essential that public sector partners in local councils, health organisations and emergency services are able to collaborate smoothly and efficiently to serve, inform and protect the public.

“We see this need in the response to major issues, including currently the Covid-19 pandemic and recent incidents arising from severe winter weather. Fast, reliable connectivity is vital to support the response to such challenging events, and the expansion of the Govroam system by NYnet will play an important part in this.”