telent, the technology services provider, has merged its Mainline Rail and Metro businesses together under the leadership of Steve Pears as newly-appointed Director, Rail.
The internal move is designed to enable telent to leverage synergies across its mainline and light rail activities and thus enhance operational efficiency. The company’s reorganised Rail business has an annual turnover of over £60 million and employs around 500 permanent staff.
In his previous role, Steve Pears oversaw expansion in the scale, geographic reach and customer base of telent’s Mainline Rail business. He started his career as an electronics engineer designing Radar Systems, and later managed defence projects before moving into Rail telecoms 12 years ago.
Commenting on his appointment, Steve Pears said: “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to lead a Rail business which integrates telent’s light and mainline rail service offerings, and so makes it easier for our customers to do business with us. Together with a team of professionals who have unrivalled industry experience, I intend to grow this newly integrated business by continuing to deliver excellent service to our customers.
The scale of our station communications upgrade projects over recent years, nationwide reach, and our command of a wide range of communications technologies leave us well-placed to serve our diverse base of Rail customers,” continued Steve. “Highly flexible, we can provide cutting edge technologies – like the LAN and IP-based communications system just delivered to Serco DLR – or migrate from legacy to new systems at a pace that suits our customers.”
From trackside infrastructure to customer information systems in-station, telent provides complete solutions for rail communications networks and telecoms. The company has grown to become the leading supplier for Rail telecoms over the past few years, maintaining SISS at over 1,000 stations across the country and having installed thousands of CIS displays, CCTV cameras, speakers and help points in station upgrade projects UK-wide.
In light rail, telent also recently supplied a new LAN and IP-based PA system for Serco Docklands’ station upgrade programme and is currently sole maintainer of communications systems across the London Underground.
Recent mainline projects include telecoms framework contracts to provide equipment and services for Network Rail’s South East and Western Regions; mast audit for Network Rail; supply of a new Driver Only Operator system for Network Rail South East; the design, installation and commissioning of an operational communications system and cable network for the Thameslink project; nationwide cable works; national fibre voice and data maintenance for Global Crossing, and SISS maintenance for Merseyrail and South West Trains.
With annual revenues of around £300 million, telent has decades of experience in supplying a broad range of network and communications services. Today, the privately-held company employs approximately 2,500 people and has one of the largest engineering field forces in the UK. Customers include: Airwave, BT, Deutsche Bahn, EADS, Merseyside Fire & Rescue, the Metropolitan Police, National Express, Network Rail, Stagecoach, Tube Lines, and the UK Highways Agency.
telent’s joint venture with Carillion, Carillion telent, was awarded a £1 billion 7-year nationwide support contract by Openreach, BT’s local access business, in 2009 (www.carilliontelent.com).
For more information about telent, visit www.telent.com
