Citation
(1999), "Switzerland chooses Tetrapol for its national secure radio communications network", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 8 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.1999.07308aad.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 1999, MCB UP Limited
Switzerland chooses Tetrapol for its national secure radio communications network
Inclusion in this section does not imply that these products, or companies/organizations, are recommended or approved by the editor or publisher.
Switzerland chooses Tetrapol for its national secure radio communications network
Following the success of a pilot network in the canton of Tessin, Swiss telecommunications operator Swisscom has approved financing for Polycom, the country's new security and backup network, enabling work to commence. Prior to the announcement the network's first user groups, representing some 30,000 radio terminals, had already announced their intention to migrate to the Tetrapol standard, on which the Polycom network is based, during the upgrade of their current network. Network deployment will kick off this year and a first segment will be up and running by the beginning of 1999.
The need for a common secure communications network interlinking public security organizations and cantons has become increasingly apparent over the past few years in Switzerland, particularly for the management of emergencies such as the natural disaster at Sachseln in 1997, the Zurich Affoltern train crash, or security measures required for the 1997 world Zionist conference in Basle. Security requirements for Expo 2001, to be held in the cantons of Berne, Fribourg, Jura, Neuchatel and Vaud, underscore the need for a network enabling communications between cantons.
The Polycom network will cover the entire country with an infrastructure built and operated by Swisscom Mobile. Swisscom is responsible for technical management but has no access to information exchanged over the network, since communications are end-to-end encrypted. Cantons and other user organizations will form closed user groups, all using the same infrastructure but functioning independently. However, Polycom enables communications at any time and ensures links between organizations and cantons. This was previously almost impossible.
£200 million contract
A total of 500 base stations will be deployed over the next ten years, covering the entire country. Capital investments required for this project will total some 500 million Swiss francs, or almost £200 million. Swisscom will handle pre-financing arrangements, and users will finance the operation of the network via an annual fee proportional to the amount of network use.
Phased network deployment
Deployment of the first section of the network will begin soon. Two months after this first section is commissioned work will commence on the other sections on a step-by-step basis. Priority will be given to frontier guards, and canton and city police, according to individual needs (replacement of current systems, financing, etc).
Other user groups may join
While the Polycom network is under construction a campaign will get under way to attract other potential user groups, including hospitals, health organizations, fire departments, local insurance offices and other bodies requiring security and rescue resources. These organizations may opt to join the network in the near future.
European co-operation
Commenting on the choice of Tetrapol technology, Swisscom and the Transmission Co-ordination Department of the Ministry of Defence jointly declared: "We have chosen Tetrapol technology to ensure the integration of Switzerland in Europe for radio communications. This is particularly important in border areas to enable organizations on both sides of a border to communicate during crises".
Tetrapol sets the standard
To date, Tetrapol technology has been chosen by 25 public and private user organizations in 15 countries across the globe, half of which are in Europe. When fully deployed these networks will serve over 450,000 users for an investment of 2 billion euros.