The BBC has handed BT a new multimillion-pound contract for its next generation broadcast network.
The new network, based on internet technologies will come online from April 2017. It will be designed to make it easier for additional services and capacity to be added for major events, such as a general election or the Olympics at what the corporation says is a considerably lower cost.
Current provider Vodafone loses out in the contract that will make it easier for the BBC to bring in any Ultra HD or 360-degree content services.< Matthew Postgate, Chief Technology Officer at the BBC, said: "This is an important step towards building an internet-fit BBC and will allow us to provide more interactive and personalised content in the future. At a time when the BBC faces serious financial challenges, it will also save us tens of millions of pounds so we can focus more of our money on the programmes and services for licence fee payers.” The contract for the new provider is worth over £100 million for seven years, with an option for the BBC to extend for a further three. The selection of BT follows a public procurement under the BBC’s Aurora Programme, which is re-sourcing all of the BBC’s core technology services as the current contract expires in April 2017.