DFS, the German air navigation service provider, is modernising its communications network: Control centres, towers, radio and radar facilities will exchange information via optical fibres in future. Deutsche Telekom fibre

To this end, Deutsche Telekom will expand its network by around 870 kilometres by the middle of 2022. Deutsche Telekom will then operate the entire network for DFS. The contract is worth a medium-sized double-digit million Euro figure and will run for seven years.

The new fibre-optic network for DFS will be several tens of thousands of kilometres long, stretching from Helgoland in the north to Kaufbeuren in the south. It will connect four control centres, the control towers of the 16 designated international airports and 130 radio and radar facilities in Germany. For the first time, some 80 locations will be connected to the fibre optic network.

“The new fibre-optic network is an important building block for the digitalisation of air traffic control,” said Friedrich-Wilhelm Menge, Chief Technology Officer at DFS. “We want to further strengthen our position among the leading air navigation service providers in Europe. To achieve this, we must continue developing technologies and consistently exploit the potential of digitalisation and automation. In concrete terms, the aim is to increase safety and efficiency in air traffic.”

Hagen Rickmann, responsible for the business-customer division at Telekom Deutschland: “The air traffic control infrastructure is critical to the whole economy. That’s why safety is the top priority: All lines and the most important network components are duplicated. He adds: “This is one of the first major orders for our new-look business customer division. As of July 1, we have now bundled all the necessary competencies to implement such important and safety-relevant projects even more successfully.” Deutsche Telekom fibre