EE to Connect 34,000 Mobile and IoT Devices in New UK DEFRA Deal

Telecoms giant BT has today signed a new “multi-million-pound” deal with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), which will see EE provide 34,000 mobile connections to support workers and real-time reporting on issues from flooding to farming disease outbreaks across England, Scotland and Wales.

The 5-year contract looks set to harness EE’s 4G based mobile broadband network, which currently has the strongest coverage of UK rural areas and continues to grow under the £1bn industry-led Shared Rural Network (SRN) project.

BT has also committed to support DEFRA’s carbon reduction ambitions as part of the deal. It will be given access to key tools including eSim capability and BT’s Carbon Dashboard, which provides visibility of electricity consumption and carbon emissions at an individual workload and application level to help minimise waste and reduce carbon-generating activities.

Andy Rowe, BT’s Director of Central Government, said:

“It’s a privilege to welcome DEFRA to the EE network and to support their mission to restore and enhance the environment for the next generation.

Their workers perform critical work across the UK and it’s vital they are provided with reliable network coverage, especially in times of crisis.

For organisations with large fleets and field workers, hybrid working is about more than just home and office spaces. Staying connected on the go is critical for DEFRA’s workers who rely on mobile connectivity to operate effectively and serve the wider public community daily or in emergency situations.”

As well as connecting national and local governments, BT also works with more than 200 NHS trusts, 43 police forces, 29 fire services and has supported the emergency services by handling all incoming 999 calls since 1937.