UK telecoms · Council networks
MLL Telecom Wins £1.5m Shropshire Council Network Upgrade Deal
The supplier is staying on to modernise the council’s connections. Here is what the new agreement actually covers.
MLL Telecom has renewed its network services contract with Shropshire Council for more than £1.5 million. The agreement covers an upgrade to the council’s own connections, with a broader network and voice programme planned over the contract term.
01 / The agreement
What has been agreed?
The new term is five years, with an option to extend it for another two. MLL is an existing supplier: a previous council contract register lists MLL under a WAN contract. This is a renewal and expansion of that relationship, rather than a new provider taking over.
The reported value is over £1.5 million, not an exact £1.5 million price. A spending breakdown and rollout timetable have not been published in the reporting available at publication.
Refresh and expand the council network across 87 council and partner locations, with an SD-WAN overlay intended to improve how connections are managed.
Provide high-speed access to the internet and public-sector networks, including the Health and Social Care Network and Public Services Network.
Expand SIP voice capacity to a reported 200 resilient channels, with Microsoft Teams Direct Routing into multiple sites. A school voice pilot is also planned.
02 / How it works
Why SD-WAN and voice are in the same deal
A council has many offices and service locations that need dependable access to shared systems. SD-WAN is software-controlled networking that can manage traffic across the links joining those sites. MLL says the refreshed design is intended to increase capacity, performance and resilience; those are expected benefits, not measured results from a completed rollout.
The council network in simple terms
The calling part uses SIP, a common way to connect internet-based phone systems. Teams Direct Routing can join Teams calling to telephone services through a session border controller. The reported 200 SIP channels describe simultaneous call capacity, not 200 staff members or 200 sites. The number of sites receiving Teams calling has not been specified.
This is an upgrade to the council’s operational network. It is not an announcement of new home broadband coverage, a countywide full-fibre build or a change to residents’ broadband providers.
03 / What comes next
The work is agreed; the results are still to come
The contract sets out a larger role for MLL, but the available announcement does not say when each location will be upgraded, which SD-WAN platform will be used, or how the voice resilience will be implemented. The proposed school voice pilot should be treated as a pilot until its launch and results are confirmed.
In short: MLL has secured a five-year, £1.5m-plus renewal to modernise Shropshire Council’s network across 87 sites. The announced changes concern council connectivity and calling; performance gains will have to be judged after deployment.
Quick questions
Frequently asked questions
How much is the MLL Telecom Shropshire Council deal worth?
It is reported to be worth more than £1.5 million. The precise figure and spending breakdown have not been disclosed in the available reporting.
How long is the new contract?
The initial term is five years, with an option to extend it by a further two years.
How many sites are included in the network upgrade?
The upgraded network is reported to cover 87 council and partner sites. That does not mean every site will receive the same voice setup.
Will the deal improve home broadband in Shropshire?
It is a contract for the council’s own network and calling services. No new residential broadband coverage or household speed upgrade has been announced as part of it.
Hasnaat Mahmood
Hasnaat covers UK broadband providers, telecoms and network infrastructure.
Sources
- Comms Business, 29 September 2026 — contract terms and reported service scope.
- Telecompaper, 29 September 2026 — independent report of term, value and 87-site SD-WAN upgrade.
- Shropshire Council contract register, October 2023 — earlier MLL WAN relationship.