Heathrow’s new terminal gets networked

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BAA has signed a deal with IT services company Carillion to supply cabling systems at Heathrow Airport's soon-to-be-finished Terminal 5C.

Due for completion in 2011, the new building's seven floors will be kitted out with high performance, secure fibre and cable connections designed to support a host of different uses, according to Carillion.

As part of the deal, Carillion will install Category 6 cabling to some 5,000 data outlets and a number of steel wire armoured fibre optic cables for 'harsh' environments. The system will be used for passenger information displays, gate desk computer systems and baggage handling security, as well as at 15 retail units and 12 local aircraft stands.

The project building on an existing relationship between the two parties.

"Carillion IT Services have already demonstrated their abilities and expertise in working successfully for BAA within a live airfield, at the world's busiest international airport," BAA's operations director James Hindes, said in a statement. "We are therefore confident that they can deliver the project within this kind of environment."