Switzerland - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Switzerland - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Switzerland’s MNOs prepare for early 2019 spectrum auction

Switzerland has a sophisticated telecom sector and enjoys one of the highest broadband penetration rates within the European Union and among the OECD nations. Its competitive mobile market is served by three network operators and a small number of MVNOs while the broadband market is dominated by Swisscom and UPC Switzerland, though there are a large number of smaller players in the market, many providing services to local communities. UPC has gained scale in recent years by acquiring a number of its partner networks, while Sunrise in mid-2018 became a full service provider adding fibre-based broadband and pay-TV services to its exiting mobile voice and data offers.

Although not a member of the EU, the country’s economic integration has meant that its telecom market deregulation has followed the EU’s liberalisation framework, including the recent regulations on international voice roaming.

The country benefits from universal DSL infrastructure and an expansive cable broadband network, with effective cross-platform competition. The DSL sector commands about two-thirds of the market by subscribers. UPC Switzerland offers broadband in most cities and towns, and its extension of 500Mb/s services has helped spur Swisscom to intensify its VDSL, G.fast and FttP network rollouts in a bid to remain competitive. Swisscom’s planned infrastructure investment over the coming years has been facilitated by cooperative deals struck with regional utility companies.

There has been a focus on ‘ultra-fast’ broadband, defined as a service of at least 100Mb/s. To this end the government is promoting technologies based on fibre, LTE, DOCSIS3.1 and 5G. By 2020 fixed-line networks are expected to deliver at least 100Mb/s to 85% of the population, while services based on 5G should be available from the MNOs. The extension of mobile broadband services from Swisscom and Sunrise is being supported by the operators closing down 2G infrastructure and repurposing spectrum and physical assets for LTE and, in future, 5G use. The mobile market has also benefited from the entry of the main cableco UPC Switzerland as an MVNO. As a full-service provider UPC Switzerland can compete effectively with the other key operators.

This report presents an analysis of Switzerland’s fixed-line telecom market, including an assessment of network infrastructure. It examines the regulatory environment, noting the status of local loop unbundling as well as the provision of broadband as a universal service. In addition the report evaluates the strategies and performance of major service providers including Swisscom, UPC Switzerland and Sunrise. The report also assesses the mobile market, analysing the regulatory environment, service offerings and emerging new technologies, and providing profiles of the main operators. In addition the report reviews the fixed and fixed-wireless broadband segments, including subscriber forecasts, technological developments and the migration to a fibre-abased infrastructure.

Key developments:

Salt enters the fixed-line market;
OFCOM consults on the use of a range of spectrum to be released from 2019;
Swiss MNOs using Mobile ID;
Sunrise and Swisscom to switch off 2G infrastructure;
Swisscom and Ericsson trial 10Gb/s 5G;
Swisscom reaches half-way point in CHF1.6 billion national ‘superfast’ broadband program;
Regulator measures eliminate FttP network duplication, increases minimum internet speed on Swisscom’s USO;
Swisscom contracts Huawei for FttS network upgrade
UPC Switzerland providing backhaul services for Salt’s LTE network;
Report update includes the regulator’s market data for 2017, telcos’ operating and financial data to Q3 2018, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Swisscom, Salt (Orange Switzerland), Sunrise, UPC Switzerland, Swiss Digital