In a little-noticed agreement, NMW Computers Plc, Nantwich, Cheshire last month sold its UK-wide private X25 packet-switched network to Transpac Network Services Ltd, the wholly owned subsidiary of Transpac SA, which is itself part of the France Telecom Group, for UKP400,000. NMW’s network is one of the largest X25 networks in the UK, with coverage extending to all major UK cities, and the company will continue to use a virtual private network of it as part of the agreement with Transpac. The purchase will enable Transpac to offer managed network services, including X32, Electronic Data Interchange, X400 mail services, and access to third party information providers, for NMW’s existing portfolio of corporate clients, and will also use it to attract new customers in its own right. The existing network infrastructure will be used, but according to a spokesman there will also be a repositioning of some of the nodal points. NMW has some 70 clients, mainly brokers and financial institutions. This agreement gives the French company around 80% coverage of the UK and follows on from another agreement it signed with London Regional Transport in June to buy its London-wide CentreNet X25 network. Transpac has made it clear that these two agreements are just part of its expansion programme, which is intended to give full UK coverage, and that it is looking to buy further networks.
