BAA has started installation of the IT network that will form the backbone of London Heathrow’s £4.2bn Terminal 5 (T5).

The airport operator will spend most of next year installing the technology that will link two primary data centres and up to 66 secondary communication centres, using 2.5 million metres of fibre optic cabling.

‘Next year, the mechanical and electronic work will mostly be done, so then the system installation and integration becomes the critical activity,’ said Nick Gaines, head of systems and IT for T5.

‘Transforming a building into an airport terminal is all about technology. When T5 is finished, it will be a showcase for some of the most advanced technology in the world.’

The network will support all voice, data and operational systems in the airport, such as CCTV, access control, building management and water control systems, as well as the thousands of staff working at the terminal.

‘A key part of the telecoms strategy is the implementation of common services and systems for as many people as possible,’ said Gaines.

‘It is much like implementing a network for a small city.’

BAA is working on the project with IT services provider NTL Business, with system design and installation help from Arup, Honeywell and Ultra.

Physical construction of T5 is close to completion. The terminal is due to open on 30 March 2008, although it will be operationally ready six months earlier.

British Airways (BA) has already started work on the technology it will implement at T5.

‘The move to T5 provides the airline with a once in a lifetime opportunity,’ said BA chief information officer Paul Coby. ‘The focus is on simple and basic systems which will be tried and tested to ensure a seamless transition for our passengers and staff.’

BA will implement a system freeze across the airline by late 2007 in preparation for the move.