East Midlands Public Services Network
The East Midlands Public Services Network (emPSN) is provided through a public sector owned Company emPSN Infrastructure Limited (ICo), operating through emPSN Services Limited (SCo), which maintains and develops a regional Wide Area Network providing services to approximately 2,000 sites, including over 1,000 schools and LA sites in Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Leicester City. The network provides safe and secure access to a wide range of services, between sites and egress to the Internet via the JISC Network (Janet). emPSN operates as part of the National Education Network, connecting more than 50% of the schools in England, alongside the schools of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland within a common network, gaining the benefits of scale across the whole education sector, including HE and FE. emPSN ICo and SCo were formed in 2012, building on the then regional schools network (embc).
The opportunity of enhancing the existing economy of scale of embc, alongside the development of the PSN (Public Sector Network), led by the Cabinet Office, for the Local Authority sector was an opportunity readily accepted. The resulting procurement led to KCOM winning the contract to manage and develop the regional infrastructure until 2019 that continued to be owned by emPSN ICo.
The regional network continues to develop, bringing in new connectivity options as broadband bandwidth requirements continue to increase, as well as new service opportunities that require high quality and reliable services. emPSN is owned by all of the schools and local authorities that connect to the emPSN network, a company limited by guarantee. emPSN is a not for profit organisation. embc continues to be used as the trading names for services to the schools sector.