Award

Replacement of Analogue Telephony Lines

THE CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Summary of the contracting process

The City of Edinburgh Council has entered the procurement award stage, contracting British Telecommunications PLC (BT) for a project titled "Replacement of Analogue Telephony Lines". This falls within the general public services industry category and primarily concerns locations across the City of Edinburgh. The procurement process is a limited award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition, justified by BT's unique capability to offer Pre-Digital Phone Lines (PDPL) services. The contract spans from 1st October 2025 to 30th September 2029, aligning with ongoing transitions to digital solutions as analogue services cease, particularly for critical infrastructure. The contract, signed on 1st September 2025, is valued at £3,500,000 GBP.

This tender presents significant opportunities for telecommunications firms and digital service providers specialising in infrastructure transition from analogue to digital systems. The target outcome involves supplying digital service solutions once the Pre-Digital Phone Lines support is phased into a full digital service contract. Businesses with expertise in telecommunications, analogue circuit transition, and comprehensive digital network solutions will find themselves well-suited to participate in upcoming transition tenders. With the advance planning for the total digital overhaul anticipated by 2029, there is a clear future opportunity for innovative firms aiming to expand their presence in regional projects within public sector networks.

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Notice Title

Replacement of Analogue Telephony Lines

Notice Description

The Council is awarding a contract to BT for the continued use of analogue service and their PDPL solution from 1st October 2025 until 30th September 2029 to allow this rationalisation process to complete and to undertake the procurement of the new single digital services contract.

Lot Information

Lot 1

The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), including copper analogue services currently provided by Openreach, is ceasing. All PSTN services are required to transition to a digital solution before Openreach ceases all analogue provision (presently scheduled for January 2027, although exchanges will close before that date). Throughout the City of Edinburgh Council (the Council) estate, the current analogue service is to be provided for as long as possible, whilst the Council identifies lines required and solutions for a future upgrade to a digital service. The Council intend to novate analogue fixed lines from O2 and Enterprise Broadband lines from CGI, so all analogue services are with a single provider, in preparation for entering the market for a full digital solution. To ensure services continue to be provided to the circa 1,500 lines which support telephones, lifts, alarms, traffic lights and other infrastructure currently on an analogue line, we require BT to continue to support, whilst the Council identify which lines require transition to which digital solution, and we cease analogue lines where no longer in use or required. The Council will also be adopting Pre-Digital Phone Lines (PDPL) for some lines until the transition of the estate equipment, so it can accept a digital solution.. Contract will run from 1st January 2026 until 31st December 2029.

Procurement Information

PSTN Analogue services can no longer be procured. To ensure services continue to be provided to the circa 1,500 lines which support telephones, lifts, alarms, traffic lights and other infrastructure currently on an analogue line, we require BT to continue to support, whilst the Council identify which lines require transition to which digital solution, and we cease analogue lines where no longer in use or required. BT are unique in offering Pre-Digital Phone Line (PDPL), which gives a period allowing the Council to identify lines and their use, many of which were installed decades ago and are difficult to quickly identify usage and requirements. The Council is undertaking a full audit, which will allow only the transition of those lines we correctly identify as in use and needed. For these reasons, there are no financially, administratively reasonable or viable alternatives available. Once the Council has consolidated all lines into a single contract, it intends to enter the market for a full digital solution by the expiry of this VEAT.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-r6ebe6-0000808807
Publication Source
Public Contracts Scotland
Latest Notice
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=DEC544894
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

51 - Installation services (except software)


CPV Codes

51340000 - Installation services of line telephony equipment

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£2,100,000 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
4 Dec 20252 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
2 Dec 20252 months ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
THE CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCIL
Contact Name
Laura Skinner
Contact Email
laura.skinner@edinburgh.gov.uk, pauline.sutherland@edinburgh.gov.uk
Contact Phone
+44 1314693922

Buyer Location

Locality
EDINBURGH
Postcode
EH8 8BG
Post Town
Edinburgh
Country
Scotland

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM1 East Central Scotland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM13 City of Edinburgh
Delivery Location
TLM75 City of Edinburgh

Local Authority
City of Edinburgh
Electoral Ward
City Centre
Westminster Constituency
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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