telent upgrades the communications and power infrastructure of the Bonn underground

Backnang, 21 July 2026 – telent has modernised the communications and power infrastructure of the Bonn underground. The technology service provider and systems integrator for critical infrastructure built the new core and access network, laid around 20 kilometres of power and fibre-optic cables as part of this project, and installed more than 20 equipment cabinets in the tunnel.

Since 1975, the Bonn Metro has connected the city and its surrounding areas via both underground and above-ground routes. The public transport system, officially known as the ‘Stadtbahn’, is operated by Stadtwerke Bonn (SWB Bus und Bahn). Following a tender for the modernisation of the core and access networks, as well as other facilities, telent – a specialist in bespoke technology solutions and services for critical infrastructure – was awarded the contract. The decision to select telent was made because, even during the tender phase, the company was able to demonstrate that it possessed extensive experience as a main contractor and could provide all trades from a single source.

As part of the ‘DiGiDaFa’ project, from January 2024 to December 2025, telent was responsible for the supply, installation and commissioning of the Cisco components for the core network, the Microsens switches for the access network, as well as the equipment cabinets and the power and fibre-optic cables. In addition, the company adapted and retrofitted existing electrical installations, installed new electrical sub-distribution boards and carried out civil engineering works. These included fire barriers, track crossings, core drilling, work in tunnels and tunnel portals, as well as fibre splicing and OTDR measurements.

Despite careful planning, project management on a large-scale project such as this must react quickly to changing circumstances. This may involve, for example, providing materials and services in adjusted quantities and implementing supplementary contracts promptly. In this project, telent faced new or changing requirements, which the company met proactively and flexibly. The main contractor demonstrated its ability to coordinate all trades effectively, thereby ensuring the project ran smoothly.

Johannes Richolt, who is responsible for the project at the municipal utilities, explains: “I would particularly like to highlight the proactive management style of the project manager in charge, René Waage, and, more generally, the hands-on approach with which telent has overcome all challenges.”

“telent demonstrated a holistic and solution-oriented approach in this project. We worked closely with the client and proved ourselves to be a reliable and trustworthy partner,” adds Ralph Keil, Sales Manager at telent.

SWB Bus und Bahn is responsible, amongst other things, for operating the public transport network and the underground. Stadtwerke Bonn has a total of around 2,700 employees.

Further information: https://www.swb-busundbahn.de/