Network
Tradition can no longer survive without the digital world. So the Swiss Open-Air Museum at Ballenberg is being connected to the fibre-optic network, enabling the museum to develop its own digital solutions. Swisscom is also a partner of this Festival of Swiss traditions, due to take place on the weekends of 24/25 September and 1/2 October.
© Ballenberg, Freilichtmuseum der Schweiz
Nowadays, introducing tourists to Swiss traditions requires more than a little entry hut, a friendly person on the till and a competent guide. Visitors have various needs: they don't want to queue for ages and they want to make cashless payments at the restaurant, at the fast-food stand or in the souvenir shop. In the past, audio guides were hip; nowadays it's all about simply scanning a QR code or watching a short film about the attraction on your own smartphone. That's how it works at the Ballenberg Open-Air Museum. You can experience traditional customs and crafts from all over Switzerland. Set your imagination free and you can see what life was like 100 years ago, when there was no running water or electricity in all homes.
The entire Ballenberg site is equipped with fibre optics and Swisscom has now connected it to the fibre-optic network across Switzerland. As well as covering internal communication needs, they link the museum with the outside world. A new 15-km fibre-optic cable has been installed for this purpose, ensuring seamless data communication. Between 20 and 30 WLAN hotspots have been installed for the Festival to prepare the Ballenberg site for visitors. This will provide the cashless payment systems with sufficient broadband capacity. Two mobile communication units have been set up to handle the numerous transactions.
On the weekends of 24/25 September and 1/2 October, the first “Festival of Festivals” is taking place at Ballenberg, bringing together regional festivals and traditions from all across Switzerland. Cultural heritage will be brought to life with food and drink, music and dance, markets and workshops in the traditional Swiss houses. Swisscom will partner the event. Swisscom is also supporting the Swiss Open-Air Museum with filming. Swisscom's trainee film crew has recorded statements from all the festival partners, including Swisscom's own statement:
Intrigued? Come and join us at this festival of culinary and cultural heritage for young and old, incorporating traditional events from across Switzerland.
