Swissphone Mobile | Binary Studio

The Client

Swissphone, founded in 1969 in Switzerland, specializes in high-quality alerting and communication solutions, mainly for emergency services. They produce robust paging systems and develop software for alerting, critical incident management, and resource management.

They also create secure alerting networks and mobile products for organizations needing reliable, timely message delivery. Swissphone's solutions are used globally by fire and rescue services, winter services, healthcare facilities, and industries like chemicals and sewage treatment.

Their mission is to protect people and assets, making the world safer. Swissphone is known for its dependable and efficient communication tools in critical situations.

The team is always proactive, and this is something usually missing from engineering people.

They are very transparent and have great communication skills. Agile process demands developers who can tolerate change of plans and a cando mentality, which all Binary-Studio members have. Binary Studio is not only the most efficient team I ever had but also the most pleasant one.

Jörg Lichtin

Head of Platform Services

Swissphone Mobile-2 SAMSTAGERN, CH

Objectives

Building upon success in pager-based alerting systems, Swissphone recognized the need to advance its communication solutions to meet evolving customer requirements. As part of this commitment, Swissphone strategically expanded its product portfolio to include mobile technologies. This strategic move positioned the company to effectively address the changing landscape of safety and communication.

To further strengthen its market presence and better serve its clients, Swissphone established a clear set of objectives:

01

Development of SOS Mobile, an emergency call mobile application

The main goal is to create a user-friendly mobile app for both Android and iOS platforms, dedicated to aiding lone workers in hazardous environments and ensuring quick access in case of emergency.
02

Continuous enhancement of the application based on specific user needs

Following the release of the core functionality, the focus has shifted to regular updates and improvements of the application, based on direct feedback and requests from end-users.
03

Creation of a dedicated mobile application for sensor configuration, SOS Config

After Swissphone introduced low-power Bluetooth sensors to their list of supported devices, they required a separate application to configure these sensors. This new application needed to work seamlessly with the main emergency call mobile application to ensure effective integration and functionality.
04

Redesign of SOS mobile application and SOS web portal

In addition to the ongoing development and enhancement of the emergency call mobile application, Swissphone has recently expanded Binary Studio's scope to include the redesign and modernization of their web-based solution, SOS-portal. This expansion aims to ensure the stability and compliance of both the mobile app and web portal with current industry standards, providing a consistent and reliable user experience across all platforms.

Solution and Outcome

When Swissphone decided to include mobile phones in their range of communication devices, Binary Studio had already been collaborating with them on a desktop application. Our team's efficiency and communication skills had made a positive impression on Swissphone, leading them to entrust us with the mobile application development as well.
The project began with a Proof of Concept (POC), which received favorable feedback from Swissphone and end users alike. With this positive response, we moved forward with developing the first version of the SOS Mobile application.

Xamarin

Kotlin

Swift

.Net

React

Stage 1
The SOS Mobile app is specifically tailored to enhance the safety of lone workers, enabling them to quickly and securely raise an alarm in emergencies using just their smartphone. This eliminates the need for a pager or any additional equipment. Emergency calls initiated through the app are routed via the Swissphone SOS portal across multiple channels. Each user has an individual alarm plan stored in the portal, allowing for a personalized response to incoming alarms. If an emergency call is not promptly addressed, the system escalates it to ensure that appropriate action is taken.
Developed using the Xamarin framework, the app is seamlessly integrated with Swissphone’s existing ASP .NET technology stack.
The app’s core features included:
- User-activated emergency. Users can manually activate an emergency alert in the app. Once activated, the app provides real-time information about the user's location and movement status, while maintaining communication between the device and the server.
- LifeCheck (time alarm) for no-connection zones. It is usually used in situations where a lone worker enters a zone without network connectivity. The worker sets a timer, and if they fail to check in within that period, the app automatically sends an emergency call and transmits the latest data about the worker to the server.
- Non-movement alarm. This feature triggers an emergency alert if the device remains stationary for a predetermined period, which is crucial for detecting situations where the user might be unable to move or seek help manually.
To identify and locate emergency situations, SOS Mobile transfers data from the mobile device's sensors, such as the accelerometer, Bluetooth, and GPS.
Stage 2
The SOS Mobile app has become popular among Swissphone's customers in the public safety and industrial sectors. Due to the varied conditions and scenarios in these fields, there's been an increasing demand for additional features.
Our team works closely with the Platform Manager to understand user requests. Our development team then assesses each request for feasibility. Since we're building for both iOS and Android, we constantly monitor each platform's guidelines and regulations. Given the distinct security protocols and system characteristics of each, we face limitations on certain features; some are implementable on Android but not on iOS, and vice versa.
Staying updated with these rules is key to keeping the app compliant and functional.
When a user request is feasible, our development team designs a technical solution and user experience flow, which is then presented to Swissphone for approval. Upon receiving the green light, we proceed with the implementation.
Recent updates include:
- Gas detector support – tracks gas concentration and sends data to the server, including the worker’s location, environmental sounds, and speech-to-text, for enhanced situational awareness.
- SOS button support – enables users to trigger an emergency alert directly with an SOS button, without the need to open the app.
- Zone-specific activation – automatically activates the mobile device and starts sending tracking data upon entering a designated zone, ensuring continuous monitoring in high-risk areas.
- Automatic inactive mode – implemented under non-working conditions to minimize the occurrence of false emergency alerts.
Stage 3
Swissphone has been expanding the range of devices and sensors compatible with SOS Mobile to enhance indoor monitoring accuracy. With the introduction of SOS Beacon, Swissphone's Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), the IoT technology for indoor positioning, there arose a need to add functionality for configuring these sensors.
To address this, we developed SOS Config as a separate application. This app is designed to work in tandem with SOS Mobile, facilitating data exchange. Its primary feature is the configuration of these sensors and the creation of a hierarchical system for their locations.
This hierarchical arrangement is particularly important for large or complex indoor environments where accurate positioning is critical. By structuring the sensor locations in this manner, SOS Config aids in creating a more detailed and navigable mapping system, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of the SOS Mobile app in emergency response situations.
Stage 4
In 2024, Swissphone initiated a major update of both the SOS Mobile application and its SOS portal, a web-based emergency call system. The primary objectives are to enhance stability, simplify user interaction, and modernize the technology stack.
To accomplish this, Binary Studio expanded its team to include web portal development. A tech lead, frontend engineer, backend engineer, and QA specialist joined the project to ensure a smooth update of the web solution. Their focus is on:
- Migrating the frontend from WCF to React, enabling a more responsive and maintainable user experience.
- Upgrading the backend from .NET Framework 4.7.1 to .NET 8.0, improving performance, security, and access to the latest APIs.
- Carefully reusing existing business logic where possible to minimize disruption.
Concurrently, the mobile team is rebuilding the SOS Mobile app, transitioning from Xamarin to modern native technologies:
- Kotlin with the KMM framework and Jetpack Compose for the UI, for the Android client
- Both Kotlin and Swift, with SwiftUI for the user interface, for the iOS client
Throughout this process, the focus remains on stabilizing both the application and portal, ensuring reliable performance, and refining the user experience based on feedback.

Swissness in Software Development

In managing critical situations, Swissphone's commitment to precision plays a crucial role. High-quality, reliable software is essential in these scenarios, ensuring effective emergency response. The SOS Mobile app has gained significant recognition. It meets the latest German and Swiss workplace security standards and adheres to key European specifications like the DGUV rule 112-139 and SUVA guidelines, making it a trusted tool for lone worker safety.
Binary Studio has been a key player in developing the SOS Mobile app. As the core development team, we contributed not just technical expertise but also strategic insights, aligning closely with Swissphone’s dedication to precision and safety. Our collaboration showcases how expert software development, combined with Swiss attention to detail, can create solutions that significantly improve workplace safety across different industries.
The recent modernization efforts across both mobile and web platforms further demonstrate our commitment to staying at the forefront of technology while maintaining the highest standards of reliability and performance.

About Binary Studio

Binary Studio is a boutique software development company, regularly praised for its unique blend of engineering excellence and product ownership that enables its clients to build robust and scalable software products.
With our development team made up of top 0.5% international tech talent, we build web and mobile platforms using Node.js, .NET, React Native, Flutter, and integrating AI and ML. We also offer full-cycle QA and project management services to ensure the efficient delivery.
Our clients see us as a trusted partner dedicated to turning visions into great products. This is proven by 200+ delivered projects, more than two decades of business excellence, and stellar customer reviews.

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