National Swiss broadcaster SRG is to spend the next few years renewing the technical infrastructure of its digital media production activities. Following an industry-standard tendering process, Swisscom has been announced as the broadcaster's sourcing partner. SRG and Swisscom yesterday agreed a long-term working partnership.

Swisscom is to construct a cloud-based platform for the IT infrastructure of the SRG. It will be used for all applications in the production of radio, TV and online content. Swisscom will operate the platform; the SRG will continue to maintain the installed applications.

"Producing SRG's programmes involves the transmission, processing and storage of considerable volumes of data," says Marco Derighetti, SGR's Operations Director. "This calls for a powerful, highly available and cost-effective IT infrastructure. At the same time, the speed with which technology advances means we have to remain very flexible. We carefully examined all the options and opted for an external solution. It allows us to keep specific know-how in-house while acquiring standardised services from Swisscom - a win-win situation for both partners. Not least, the external procurement of standardised, technical infrastructure gives us room for manoeuvre that benefits our programme making."

SRG has chosen in Swisscom an experienced partner capable of delivering a one-stop service in terms of the network, the infrastructure and the IT management. Marcel Walker, Head of Cloud & Datacenter at Swisscom: "Thanks to our hybrid approach of dedicated server infrastructure and cloud technology, we can deliver secure and seamless integration with SRG's system topography."

The IT infrastructure relating to SRG's media production activities will now be gradually ported across to a cloud-based platform, starting with the broadcaster's site in Zurich. Geneva and Lugano are also due to receive their own platforms. The infrastructure should be available for use by all parts of SRG from 2019.

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