Swiss Railways (SBB)
Case Details
Clients: Swiss Railways (SBB)
Period: April 2017 – July 2024
Tags: Telecom, OSS/BSS Systems
Project Duration: 8 years
Client website: www.sbb.ch
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The Story
Schweizerische Bundesbahnen (SBB), or Swiss Railways, operates one of the world’s most sophisticated and busiest railway networks, with a train passing on average every 7 minutes. Every day, SBB transports over 1.32 million passengers and 175,000 tonnes of freight across Switzerland, supported by a dedicated team of 35,000 employees.
Given the critical nature of their operations, SBB has built and maintained its own independent telecommunications network. This network supports essential services such as rail safety, travelers information systems, ticketing machines, GSM-R antennas, and free Wi-Fi for passengers. However, ensuring the reliability, security, and functionality of such a vast network is a monumental task that requires top-tier expertise in QA, development, and support.
SBB’s new national data network encompasses over 10,000 active components distributed across more than 1,300 locations along the railway tracks and approximately 500 office sites. This modernized network is designed to integrate seamlessly into SBB’s extensive railway infrastructure, ensuring comprehensive coverage and reliability.
The existing SDH infrastructure and the separate IP platform are now transitioned into a unified IP/MPLS and optical network, providing a robust foundation for enhanced connectivity and streamlined operations across the organization.
The Challenges
- Security Compliance:
The IP-MPLS based data network, and its automated service fulfillment system required approval from the national railway safety organization, demanding robust security standards to protect mission-critical systems. - Reliability Under Pressure:
Network reliability was paramount. Any failure in data communication—particularly for the signaling system—could lead to automatic train halts, impacting passenger safety and operational efficiency. - High Cost of Production Issues:
Production problems were expensive and disruptive, affecting thousands of passengers and freight operations daily. Fixing such issues was challenging due to the scale and interconnectedness of the systems. - Tight Timelines and Evolving Needs:
SBB’s timelines were strict, and their requirements evolved as the project progressed, necessitating a flexible and proactive approach. - Non-Telecom Expertise:
SBB lacked in-house expertise in telecom OSS/BSS systems and relied on our company to provide the necessary expertise. Our consultants and developers worked closely with SBB to offer guidance, implement tailored solutions, and ensure the project’s successful execution.
The solution
We adopted an agile methodology to adapt swiftly to changing requirements and tight deadlines. By maintaining regular collaboration with SBB’s teams, we ensured alignment and built trust throughout the project.
To address the challenges, we designed and implemented robust testing strategies to prevent production issues. Rigorous end-to-end testing was conducted across diverse vendor systems, ensuring interoperability and reliability. Over time, these efforts led to a significant reduction in bugs and the complete elimination of production issues, greatly enhancing system stability.
In addition to comprehensive QA processes, we provided strategic support and consulting to bridge SBB’s knowledge gaps in telecom OSS/BSS systems. Our team collaborated closely with SBB to define, design, and implement business requirements for the project. As our expertise and understanding of SBB’s needs grew, we expanded our role from QA to production support. This progression allowed us to build and refine Network Element Interfaces, seamlessly integrating them with the platform used and third-party services.
The solution we delivered managed several critical services, including workspace communications, LAN extensions, travelers’ information boards, ticketing systems, railway safety systems, free Wi-Fi for passengers, and infrastructure surveillance. This comprehensive service management further solidified the network’s reliability and effectiveness.
This project also served as a pilot for our innovative “Unbound” project setup. This approach enabled seamless collaboration among distributed teams and fostered innovation to tackle complex challenges effectively.
Through close collaboration with SBB and a consistent focus on quality, the project was successfully deployed into production. This marked a significant milestone in SBB’s digital transformation journey, enhancing their telecommunications infrastructure and setting a strong foundation for future advancements.
The outcomes of this project were transformative for SBB, significantly enhancing their operations and infrastructure. By improving system reliability, we were able to eliminate costly production issues that previously disrupted their critical services. The strengthened telecommunications infrastructure now supports SBB’s operations across Switzerland, ensuring seamless communication and functionality across their vast network.
Moreover, the project enabled SBB to operate a highly secure and reliable network, ensuring the safety and satisfaction of millions of passengers and freight customers daily. Ultimately, this project showcased the power of collaboration, expertise, and innovation in addressing and overcoming complex challenges within the telecommunications domain.
Tools Used
- Jira;
- Xray;
- Confluence;
- JAVA;
- MySQL;
- Robot Framework;
- SoapUI