Public transit payment: In Toulouse, Ascom is going to change everything without disturbing anyone

In Toulouse, in southern France, Ascom is going to outfit the city's public transport network with a new information and ticketing system. The current equipment will be replaced by new machines from Ascom that can read the existing tickets and communicate with the present system until the contactless ticketing system is introduced in September 2006. The contract is worth 24 million euros.

The development of the information, control and management system, as well as of the equipment software, accounts for one quarter of this 24 million euro project (around 36 million Swiss Francs). Toulouse is installing a ticket validation system that will be able to collect high-quality data. The central management system will analyse more than 700,000 daily trips.

The aim is to improve public service, e.g. by offering season tickets. In September 2006, the city will move from one day to the next to a fully contactless solution. The biggest challenge in the project is to link the past to the future throughout the installation phase. The new ticket machines – more than 2,000 of them – will have to be able to read the existing tickets and communicate with the present system until the very last day. Fortunately, the former system, which was installed in 1992, is also from Ascom. Sales engineer François Maddaloni from Ascom says: "To clinch the deal, we also showed that we still have outstanding know-how in the solutions we installed more than ten years ago. These applications were properly documented and, moreover, most of the team members who developed them are still with us."

About Ascom
Ascom is an international solution provider with comprehensive technological know-how. In future the company aims to concentrate on the core areas of Wireless Solutions (high-value on-site communications solutions) and Security Solutions (applications for security, communication, automation and control systems for infrastructure operators, public security institutions and the army). The other areas mainly comprise Transport Revenue (fare collection, parking and toll collection systems) and Network Integration (network solutions for the data/voice convergence market). With a wealth of experience in implementing complex projects for discerning customers, Ascom has established itself in important key markets. Offerings range from analysis and consulting to system design and system integration, project management, engineering and implementation, right through to maintenance and support. The company has subsidiaries in 22 countries and a workforce of some 3,800 employees worldwide. Ascom registered shares (ASCN) are listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange in Zurich.