BIAL is the first airport to introduce Digital TETRA for TMR users

Bangalore International Airport (BIAL), the owner and operator of the new
Bengaluru International Airport, is a public limited company, registered under
the Indian Companies Act. A private-public venture, the airport project realized
so far along with the upcoming phases will be operated by the company for the
next thirty years. There is also an option to continue for another thirty years.
BIAL plans to make it one of the best modern airports in the country. Marcel
Hungerbühler, CEO, BIAL discusses the communication technology implementation at
BIAL with VOICE&DATA, which he feels is an important part of modernizing the
airport. Excerpts

What communication technologies are implemented at the Bengaluru
International Airport?

BIAL is a new start in the Indian aviation industry with regard to experience of
passengers on the ground. While the airport aims to give passengers the ultimate
travel experience, it has also invested in state-of-the-art IT and
communications systems to ensure faster processes and responsiveness. BIAL is
the first airport to introduce Digital TETRA for Trunk Mobile Radio users for
all airport stakeholders to use within the premises for operational
requirements. Current capacity deployment is 1,000 TMRS radios and 100% uptime
recorded from the date of 'go live' operations in our airport. For all
stakeholders, it is Motorola Dimetra system.

BIAL has IP PBX-Siemens HiPath for captive consumption and Nortel IP PBX to
meet the stakeholders' needs. We have opted for and implemented IP convergence
and have the base set for triple play. Currently, it is IP voice and data. As
soon as IPTV is launched, we have plans to introduce the triple play services.
BIAL will implement UCM in the coming financial year. As of today, we have MSIM
implemented, and with Nortel IP PBX and Microsoft handshake on UCM, we could
easily implement the same very effectively for stakeholders.

What are the various communication technologies (like videoconferencing)
that BIAL is using for giving better service to its customers?

Unlike the traditional model in Indian airports-with users building and
maintaining their own network and meeting their own IT and communication needs,
resulting in silos and inefficiencies-BIAL has designed and upgraded the ISO
layer from layer 1 to layer 7 so as to be fully reliable, efficient, robust, and
future proof. Our gigabit campus network is powered by Nortel Network Devices.
The advantage in this model is that all stakeholders get to use either ISP grade
or enterprise grade solutions and services that enables them to provide quality
service to their clients. All commercial establishments, especially airline
companies, have access to leased line connectivity to function smoothly.

Now, if you see our common passive mobile infrastructure for Trai approved
mobile operators, BIAL again was the first airport to create IBS (in-building
solution) in the terminal building and outdoor passive infrastructure for all
mobile operators to share the infrastructure. This enables all operators to
share the common set of resources and only active components (BTS) are deployed
by operators to take traffic to the outside world.

In October last year, BIAL also launched India's first emergency alerting
system, e-Konfer at the airport. e-Konfer, a web-based emergency alerting and
group communications system developed by HCL exclusively for BIAL, is the
backbone of all secondary communications at the airport. This will be mainly
used to disseminate secondary alert/communication in case of full emergency or
aircraft crash.

Based at Aerodrome Emergency Operations Center (AEOC) of the airport with two
client locations within, this automated system establishes the impact of
technology on airports and the Bengaluru International Airport's efforts in
leveraging the same for the state.

How is the communication technology deployment in-line with BIAL's
business goal?

BIAL uses a single-point located enterprise to connect its offices for
networking. We were one of the earliest adopters for Microsoft Exchange 2007,
and this was implemented for BIAL captive usage in the year 2007.

Apart from this, Blackberry Enterprise Server is implemented in our data
center for corporate data and mobile users. There exists a two level security
implemented with Check-Point and Juniper firewall. A radius server is installed
for remote authentication of all users, including PaX.

Of all the communication applications deployed at BIAL, what services have
you outsourced for management?

Since the network is the underpinning for all services, BIAL has taken
NORTEL NOC services apart from BIAL NW team services. Help desk services and
telephone operations are outsourced.

What can the government do to strengthen the communications systems in
various services related to the airport?

To ease airport operations, the government could give the airport operator a
separate license to offer a slew of services as a service provider for clients
who have a point of presence in the airport. This would ensure that all
stakeholders get the same level of technology, services, and assured quality
standards.

What are the technologies that BIAL is planning to deploy in the next
couple of years?

BIAL proposes to introduce IPTV, WiMax and WiMesh, UCM (Unified Communication)
and 3G services in the next few years. 3G services will be deployed based on the
need of the airport, and its various stakeholders.

Prasoon Srivastava

prasoons@cybermedia.co.in