Portsmouth Water has awarded an AMP8 Telephony and Resilience Framework contract to UK-based OT and IT infrastructure specialist Vysiion with an estimated value of of £3.6 million (including VAT).

As part of the works, Vysiion will provide a robust and secure digital communications infrastructure across all Portsmouth Water designated sites.

The contract was awarded in April 2026, and the agreement will run until 2031, with a potential five-year extension period until 2036. The initial phase, to be completed by January 2027, will see Portsmouth Water transition from PSTN lines through a controlled migration from analogue systems to a resilient, future-proof digital platform, providing continuous, seamless, and secure connectivity for critical systems across all sites.

The water company specified the communication network should facilitate seamless point-to-point connectivity between all Portsmouth Water’s approximately 48 sites when the contract first went out to tender in October 2025.

It also specified that the network should be capable of segregating, prioritising, and reliably supporting data traffic generated by critical systems, including:

• Telemetry (GEOSCADA)
• CCTV
• solar arrays
• inter-site operational process data.

Vysiion’s digital communications solutions are specifically designed for Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) OT environments, balancing availability, integrity, and security with operational practicality for live water infrastructure. The design for Portsmouth Water will align with NIS Regulations, the NCSC Cyber Assessment Framework, and IEC 62443, while providing resilient, secure connectivity.

Vysiion will be expected to collaborate with existing suppliers where required by Portsmouth Water and to work with the utility on establishing a single supply chain provider without any interruption to the existing service.

Bob Taylor, CEO at Portsmouth Water, said:

“As we roll out our AMP8 programme for our OT assets, this strategic partnership with Vysiion is central to us modernising and securing our critical infrastructure requirements, both now and into the future. The thorough procurement process demonstrates Vysiion’s strong track record in IT and OT environments, making them well placed as singular supply chain provider to meet our critical communications needs.”

Peter Clapton, CEO at Vysiion, said:

“We are delighted to be selected by Portsmouth Water to deliver a secure, resilient, and fully digital communications platform tailored to the differing operational criticality of its sites. Through UK-sovereign service delivery, and a strong focus on long-term operability, the new solution will not only meet current requirements but also provide a robust foundation for future evolution. This approach ensures Portsmouth Water achieves operational confidence and value on investment throughout the service lifecycle.”