One of the shining examples of the invigorating benefits of privatisation and management and employee shareholding, busting Istel Ltd is investing UKP3m to enhance its Infotrac public value added and data services network, which it claims is the UK’s largest. The Redditch, Worcestershire company is under way with a two-year programme to introduce X25 packet switching on the network, putting in eight packet-switches from the BBN Communications Inc arm of Bolt, Beranek & Newman Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts this year and another five next at a total cost of UKP1m – and Istel is covering itself as far as possible by using both British Telecom and Mercury Communications trunks. The second phase of the expansion programme, planned for commissioning next year, will involve installation of further access nodes, at a hardware cost of another UKP1.2m, plus another UKP800,000 for installation, maintenance and line rentals.
