“Every installation is unique.”
Peter Eschmann is the project manager in charge of the migration to All-IP in remote locations. Digitisation of the individual alpine businesses is as varied as the Swiss mountain surroundings. But, if all goes well, the target of converting all 240 businesses this summer should be achieved.
Did the conversion of the alpine businesses to All-IP get off to a good start?
Last autumn we conducted a successful initial pilot project with solar power and IP telephony in an alpine business in the Bern canton. The aim was to find out how many and which alpine farms, businesses and huts are actually affected by energy problems. Although Swisscom has details of its customers' lines and telephone numbers, it is not an electricity supplier and so doesn't know who has a power supply. We now have a fuller picture and know that around 240 alpine farms, SAC huts and mountain chalets are affected.
What is the current status of the conversion?
Our schedule is determined by the All-IP migration across Switzerland. We want to migrate alpine businesses and huts in a timely manner, so they can continue to communicate with the outside world. Ideally, the power supply solution will be installed at the same time as the changeover to IP telephony (see above). The aim is to migrate as many alpine businesses and mountain huts as possible to IP during the summer of 2018. At the moment, everything is on schedule.
What are the biggest challenges?
Actually, each installation is unique. Although that’s exciting, it also creates regular challenges. Factors like time and weather cannot be underestimated either: in many cases, mountain huts and alpine farms in very remote locations are only accessible by helicopter.