Radio security network: Half of the Polycom antennas are connected
An important stage has been reached for the nationwide Polycom radio security network for police, firefighters, paramedics and border security, according to the Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP). Recently, the 391st antenna site of a total of 782 antennas was successfully migrated to the new system.
Federal Councillor Viola Amherd, head of the DDPS, commissioned the 391st renewed transmitter site for the Swiss-wide Polycom network in October as part of the FOCP's Polycom Value Preservation Project (WEP 2030). The migration of this antenna, which is located in St. Gallen, was carried out by remote control from the administrative center at Guisanplatz Bern. After the migration to the new system had already been carried out in the cantons of Aargau, Bern, Uri, Ticino, Neuchâtel, Vaud, Thurgau and Solothurn, another milestone was reached with the commissioning in St. Gallen, according to the FOCP. Now 50 percent of the sites have been migrated.
Complete renewal by the end of 2025
The initial delays have been made up with the parallel renewals started in the cantons at the end of 2022, it says. This means that the complete renewal of the entire Polycom infrastructure by the end of 2025 is well on track.
According to the statement, the 60,000 users of the rescue and security authorities and organizations (BORS) will thus continue to benefit from a reliable radio system with a new, secure technical and tactical system management environment. With the system solution, more communication resources can be made available in the future to meet the increasing need for inter-cantonal operations.
To the radio network of the authorities Polycom
Polycom is the nationwide radio security network of the rescue and security authorities and organizations (BORS). The security radio network was set up by the federal government and the cantons between 2001 and 2015. It is used intensively on a daily basis and enables radio contact between the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG), the police, fire department, ambulance service, civil defense, national road maintenance, operators of critical infrastructures and the army in subsidiary deployment.
About the "Polycom 2030 Value Preservation" project
According to the information, the system infrastructure consists of 782 antennas and a steadily growing number of users. The FOCP is responsible for providing and operating the national components, according to the statement. The goal of Werterhalt Polycom 2030 is to extend the service life of the security radio network until at least 2035. According to the FOCP, this will enable the connected radios of emergency organizations, technical services and operators of critical infrastructures to continue using the secure Polycom digital communications system into the 2030s. Without this communication option, they would not be able to perform their tasks, or only to a limited extent, as it concludes.
