SWU TeleNet GmbH
IT know-how in and around the City of Ulm
When a partnership evolves
For NTS, SWU TeleNet GmbH, a subsidiary of the Ulm public utility company (Stadtwerke Ulm/Neu-Ulm – SWU) is a perfect example of how a collaboration through individual and personal customer service, paired with passion and deep IT knowledge of the NTS team, can evolve over the years.
The Stadtwerke provide electricity, natural gas, district heating, drinking water as well as telecommunication services to more than 200,000 customers in Ulm, Neu-Ulm and the surrounding areas. Furthermore, the Stadtwerke operate 19 public transport lines within the city. Therefore, SWU counts on reliable partners and service providers with extensive know-how.
By establishing SWU TeleNet in August 2000, Stadtwerke Ulm / Neu Ulm combined their competences in telecommunication at an early stage. Thus, a full-service provider was created that renders services for communities as well as for private and business customers. These services are provided in the fields of IT and telecommunication ranging from internet, via telephony, TV & radio all the way to state-of-the-art data centers.
In addition to that, SWU TeleNet develops and operates individual solutions for demanding commercial and industrial customers and they continuously expand their own fiberglass infrastructure to meet the ever-increasing demand for bandwidth in Ulm, Neu-Ulm, and the surrounding areas.
“From the first contact during the tendering phase all the way to the collaboration that is based on partnership, we jointly walked together on a path that is characterized by trust, transparency and an open exchange – this is the way how a true partnership has evolved from an initial business relationship.”
Matthias Kirschke Technical Consultant, SWU TeleNet GmbHProvider skills and how to deal with critical infrastructure
During the first project, the capabilities of NTS regarding provider networks, as well as their experience when dealing with special requirements of critical infrastructure, were one of the decisive factors. Thereby, the installation of a provider backbone covering the phases of design, proof of concept and realization was tendered in 2021 as the existing backbone had to be renewed. The solution offered by NTS was characterized by simple scalability as well as by flexibility when selecting services that one wants to offer as a city provider to customers. A high availability and several redundancies were a precondition. In this case, our experiences with the operating system Cisco IOS XR, which was specially developed for provider networks, were a big advantage.
Due to the successful implementation of the new provider backbone, Stadtwerke Ulm also counted on NTS for the renewal of the intranet backbone of the Campus LAN that covers several buildings. To ensure that the SWU TeleNet service specialists, that administer the provider backbone, can look after the intranet backbone efficiently and securely, one also counted for the SWU intranet backbone on the implementation of the network with BGP-EVPN-VXLAN technology. Next to an efficient administration, this technology also helps to satisfy the rapidly growing usage of mobile devices (including the growing number of IOT devices), social media and collaboration tools that massively increase the number of end devices in a network.
“With the help of the professional and reliable support from NTS, we realize innovative projects and solutions in and around the City of Ulm.”
Matthias Kirschke Technical Consultant, SWU TeleNet GmbHFocus on WLAN
The collaboration was subsequently strengthened, and further projects were implemented. That way, a possibility for internet usage via WLAN based on Cisco infrastructure in accommodations for refugees in the city of Ulm was established.
The SWU TeleNet / NTS partnership also contributed to increasing the attractiveness of the trade fair location Ulm by modernizing and expanding the WLAN to fulfill the requirements of exhibitors, visitors, and trade fair employees: for example, the deployment of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE).
Not only was the Danube stadium, which has a capacity of 17,000 spectators, connected to fibreglass and to the high-speed network of SWU TeleNet, but the tills, the areas for media and emergency services as well as the dressing rooms of the home soccer team SSV Ulm of the stadium were equipped in the respective areas with cable-bound LAN ports as well as different wireless WLAN networks based on active network technology (router, switches, WLAN access points, …). Thereby, the SSV Ulm 1846 Fußball GmbH & Co. KGaA was supported in fulfilling the DFL guidelines for the matches in the German Bundesliga as well as in the second Bundesliga division. Besides SSV soccer players, other SSV departments can utilize the installed communication infrastructure.
Internet connections were installed for companies that are situated in the Wilhelmsburg, a historic building that is today used for startups, new companies and cultural events. At the same time, the first areas were equipped with WLAN as well. Currently, the WLAN coverage of the entire inner courtyard including all WLAN areas that were established already, and the implementation of different wireless WLAN networks is evaluated in view of the Regional Garden Show 2030.
In the meantime, the collaboration between SWU TeleNet and NTS developed itself in such a way that common considerations regarding strategic product developments are being conducted. Hereby, the focus lies on products and services for citizens as well as for communities and private and business customers in Ulm and Neu-Ulm. Thereby, it is the goal to create a basis to be successful in the era of digitalization and to make sure that everyone benefits from digitalization opportunities.
Technical solution
- NTS Standard Support 5/8 and 24/7
- BGP-EVPN-VXLAN technology
- Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)
- Cisco Catalyst and Meraki
