Sepura hits the high ground with contract for French ski resort

One of the leading ski resorts in France has chosen Sepura terminals to ensure the efficient and safe management of its slopes.

The Société des Téléphériques de la Grande Motte (STGM) at the ski resort of Tignes, in the Rhône-Alpes region, France, has replaced its existing analogue system with Sepura STP8000 hand-portable radios and SRG3900 vehicle-mounted terminals. The contract was secured by Sysoco, Sepura's long-standing partner in France.

Located at 2000m altitude, the resort is split over two sites, Tignes le Lac and Tignes Val Claret, and offers 158 pistes, totalling 300km of skiable terrain. Sepura's gateway radios enable STGM to extend coverage into areas not covered by the infrastructure - a feature of particular importance in mountainous areas, where 'black spots' and climatic conditions can dramatically affect coverage.

"A modern communications system is essential for efficient resource management, as well as dispatch of emergency personnel in case of necessity," said Pierre Letta, Marketing Director for Sysoco.

"Crucially, the analogue gateway, built for STGM by Sysoco, allows interoperability with both TETRA and analogue networks, permitting cross-network communication and maintaining existing links with analogue users across the resorts' two sites."

The STP8000s hand-portables were also selected for their ruggedness and advanced functionality, in particular the Man Down feature, which provides an immediate alarm - both locally audible and within the control room - if the user falls or becomes immobile or trapped.

"In both critical and day-to-day situations, robust, reliable communication systems are absolutely vital for the smooth running of the resort, and we're pleased to have chosen a solution that maximises safety onsite," said Boris Mougel, Project Manager in charge of telecom networks and electrical installations for STGM.

"When you're operating in extreme conditions, safety is paramount," said Emanuele Algieri, Sepura's Regional Director for Southern Europe.

"We're very happy to have contributed to the improved safety of workers and holidaymakers at Tignes."