Skyguide Expands Collaboration with FREQUENTIS to Advance its Virtual Centre Strategy

Skyguide, a member of FABEC, is evaluating the Frequentis next-generation IT voice communication system, VCS3020X, and its ability to support the next phases of implementing its virtual centre strategy, within its One Voice Program.

With its Virtual Centre Program Skyguide is a pioneer and innovation leader in the ATM industry. The Frequentis solution is the first ATM-grade IT VCS on the market and considered to be a good fit for the program.

Skyguide’s Virtual Centre strategy will renew and transform its communications infrastructure, moving away from individual, siloed systems to a fully software-driven IT system. This strategy is fully in line with the needs of future ATM operations. The IT approach will harmonise the technology and leverage the implementation of data centres, whilst creating more resiliency and flexibility for Virtual Centre operations.

”In the future virtual centre operations will allow us to react much faster and more efficiently to rapid changes in the volume of air traffic,” says Alex Bristol, CEO Skyguide. With the Frequentis VCS3020X customers benefit from a proven Cloud-enabled system for virtual centres, offering benefits such as:

• Flexibility: Location independent, horizontally integrated virtual center services in IT Data centers, enable Skyguide to quickly adapt the airspace to increasing or decreasing capacity demands.
• Cost savings: A network centric system based on a service-oriented architecture, designed around IT and ATM standards, including being EUROCAE ED 137C compliant,allows Skyguide to manage any airspace from either Zürich or Geneva, leading to a higher cost-efficiency.
• Cyber security: A proven IT software solution providing seamless voice services from a fully virtualised data centre infrastructure serves for greater business continuity and more resilient cybersecurity.
• Increased safety: The paradigm shift from ‘VCS functions dictating operational procedures’ to ‘operating procedures defining the interaction’, enabled by revolutionary user interfaces results in increased safety and efficiency of ATC radio and telephone communications.

“Frequentis provides an enterprise architecture air traffic control (ATC) system, with exceptionally high availability, flexibility and unrivalled performance,” says Hannu Juurakko, Frequentis vice-president ATM Civil and chairman of the ATM Executive team. “Frequentis is proud to continue a long-lasting commitment to Skyguide for a common future in virtual centres.”