A CONTRACT from the UK's biggest general union for a new network solution has got the new year off to a good start for a Basingstoke-headquartered company.

Fibernet, a bespoke network provider, based on The Viables, has won a contract for an undisclosed sum to provide its ethernet service "TANet Ethersphere" to the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G).

The new service will allow the union to implement network services that it would otherwise have been unable to consider, including video conferencing.

The Ethersphere service will give the T&G a link between its Newcastle headquarters and its 10 regional sites.

The network will be used to carry out many of its meetings for officers and lay members through video conferencing sessions which will save in travel and accommodation costs. The union expects a financial "payback" within 12 months.

Staff and members will have improved speed of access to membership administration and servicing applications, intranet and extranet services, as well as a faster e-mail delivery.

The Ethersphere will also allow the union to make savings on network management and allow the use of lower cost equipment to attach to the new service.

Tony Johnson, IT manager at the T&G, said: "We expect to see considerable reduction in the time spent by our officers travelling around the country and, as a result, anticipate substantial cost savings right across the board."

He added: "With the network in place we can now also consider adding to the services we can offer via our extranet.

"As well as speeding up the access to information on health, safety and legal advice for our members, we can look at introducing self-service membership, which will substantially reduce the amount of administration involved."

Charles McGregor, chief executive of Fibernet, said: "We are delighted to have won this contract from the T&G."

He described the ethernet services as a more flexible and efficient system, which also simplifies management, adding that its other appeal is that such services can be up to 80 per cent less expensive than traditional alternatives.