Switzerland Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Publication Date: April 2024

Report Pages: 290

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Switzerland’s MNOs not to switch off 3G until 2025

Switzerland has the highest fixed broadband penetration rate within the OECD, and also one of the highest within Europe. The county’s infrastructure is still largely based on legacy DSL networks, while the penetration of DSL connections being almost three times the OECD average. However, in recent years the Swiss government, regulator, and operators have focussed on fibre-based services, providing data rates of at least 1Gb/s. This has been supported by numerous cooperative agreements between Swisscom, Swiss Net Fibre, Sunrise, and local utilities. Fibre has also been complemented by 5G services, which now reach about 99% of the population. There has also been some gradual market consolidation, with Sunrise having acquired a significant number of local cable networks to provide it with additional scale.

The competitive mobile market is served by three network operators and a small number of MVNOs. Liberty Global acquired the MNO Sunrise in November 2020 and merged the business with its own unit UPC Switzerland, creating Sunrise UPC (rebranded as Sunrise in 2022) to contend more effectively against Swisscom in the provision of converged services. 5G offered by the MNOs offer data rates of up to 2Gb/. Various cantons have legislated for halts in 5G network extension, citing health concerns, and Switzerland retains onerous noni-ionising radiation limits. This has obliged operators to use their spectrum assets as efficiently as possible, and has meant that they have been unable to close down their 3G networks as early as has been achieved in other countries in the region. However, the MNOs have been able to close down their GSM networks and repurpose physical assets and spectrum.

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.

This report presents an analysis of Switzerland’s fixed-line telecom market, including an assessment of network infrastructure. It examines the regulatory environment and evaluates the strategies and performance of service providers including Swisscom and Sunrise UPC. The report also assesses the mobile market, including new technologies and profiles of the main operators. In addition, the report reviews the fixed and fixed-wireless broadband segments and the migration to a fibre-abased infrastructure.

Key developments:

Salt signs deal with Starlink to guarantee mobile coverage in remote areas.
Broadband of at least 80Mb/s set for USO from 2024.
Sunrise continues to expand by acquiring partner networks.
Salt extends the reach of its FttP footprint via a deal with Swiss Fiber Net.
Switzerland’s MNOs not switching of 3G until at least 2025.
Regulatory measures eliminate FttP network duplication.
Report update includes the regulator's market data for 2021, telcos' operating and financial data to Q4 2022, updated Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

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

Key statistics
Regional Europe Market Comparison

Market characteristics
Market Leaders
Market Challengers
Market Emergents
TMI versus GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration

Country overview
Telecommunications market

Market analysis
Government ICT strategy

Regulatory environment

Regulatory authorities
Fixed-line developments

Telecom sector liberalisation
Telecommunications Act
Privatisation
Interconnect
Leased lines
Access
Bitstream access
Number Portability (NP)
Carrier PreSelection (CPS)
Universal Service Obligation (USO)
European Electronic Communications Code

Fixed broadband developments

Regulatory measures
Network sharing
Network Neutrality

Mobile network developments

Spectrum regulations
Digital dividend spectrum
Spectrum auction - 2012
Spectrum auction – 2019
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Mobile Termination Rate (MTR)
Roaming

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics
Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)
3G
GSM
Other infrastructure developments

Mobile voice
Mobile data

SMS and MMS

Mobile broadband
Major mobile operators

Swisscom Mobile
Sunrise
Salt Mobile
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)
Mobile Virtual Network Enablers (MVNEs)

Mobile content and applications

m-Music
Location-based services
m-ticketing
m-commerce
Train network

Fixed-line broadband market

Introduction and statistical overview
Market analysis
Broadband statistics
Fixed-line broadband technologies

Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
Other fixed broadband services
Fixed wireless

Fixed network operators

Overview of the national telecom network
Swisscom
Sunrise
Suisse Digital

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network
LoRa network
IoT
VoIP
Smart infrastructure

Smart cities

Digital economy

e-government
e-economy
e-health

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Switzerland – 2023 (e)
Table 2 – Change in the number of telecom providers by sector – 2018 – 2020
Table 3 – Development of telecom market revenue, profit, and investment (CHF billion) – 2011 – 2021
Table 4 – Change in telecom market revenue by sector (CHF billion) – 2011 – 2021
Table 5 – Development of telecom investment by sector (CHF million) – 2011 – 2021
Table 6 – Change in interconnection revenue – 2011 – 2021
Table 7 – Growth in the number of Swisscom’s fully unbundled broadband lines – 2011 – 2021
Table 8 – Growth in the number of bitstream access lines – 2014 – 2018
Table 9 – Change in the number of fixed-numbers ported – 2011 – 2019
Table 10 – Decline in the number of Call by Call and CPS lines – 2011 – 2021
Table 11 – Change in the number of mobile numbers ported and proportion to total – 2009 – 2021
Table 12 – Development of mobile roaming traffic by service – 2013 – 2020
Table 13 – Development of mobile roaming revenue by service (CHF million) – 2013 – 2020
Table 14 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 15 – Change in mobile market revenue – 2011 – 2021
Table 16 – Change in mobile sector investment (3G and total) (CHF million) – 2009 – 2021
Table 17 – Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by operator – 2011 – 2021
Table 18 – Change in the number of prepaid and contract subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 19 – Fall in the proportion of Swisscom Mobile’s prepaid subscribers to total – 2011 – 2022
Table 20 – Development of geographic coverage by mobile technology – 2010 – 2021
Table 21 – Development of population coverage by mobile technology – 2017 – 2021
Table 22 – Change in the number of 3G mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2017
Table 23 – Growth in the number of M2M connections – 2014 – 2021
Table 24 – Change in mobile voice traffic (million calls) – 2013 – 2021
Table 25 – Change in mobile voice traffic (million minutes) – 2013 – 2021
Table 26 – Decline in SMS traffic – 2011 – 2021
Table 27 – Decline in MMS traffic – 2011 – 2021
Table 28 – Mobile internet subscribers by technology – 2009 – 2021
Table 29 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 30 – Growth in mobile data traffic – 2011 – 2021
Table 31 – Decline in Swisscom Mobile blended ARPU – 2011 – 2022
Table 32 – Decline in Swisscom Mobile’s residential mobile revenue – 2009 – 2022
Table 33 – Change in Swisscom Mobile’s subscribers by type (million) – 2011 – 2022
Table 34 – Change in the number of Sunrise’s mobile subscribers (thousand) – 2009 – 2022
Table 35 – Development of Sunrise’s mobile revenue (CHF) – 2009 – 2020
Table 36 – Development of Sunrise’s mobile revenue by quarter (CHF) – 2012 – 2020
Table 37 – Decline in Sunrise’s mobile ARPU (€ per month) – 2021 – 2022
Table 38 – Decline in Sunrise’s mobile ARPU (CHF per month) – 2011 – 2020
Table 39 – Development of Salt Mobile’s financial data – 2010 – 2021
Table 40 – Change in the number of Salt Mobile’s mobile subscribers – 2009 – 2022
Table 41 – Growth in the number of UPC Switzerland’s mobile subscribers – 2014 – 2019
Table 42 – Decline in the number of dial-up internet subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 43 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 44 – Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by platform (thousand) – 2011 – 2021
Table 45 – Change in fixed-line broadband market share by platform – 2011 – 2021
Table 46 – Change in the number of fixed broadband ports by platform (thousand) – 2015 – 2020
Table 47 – Fixed-line broadband market share by operator – 2011 – 2021
Table 48 – Development of fixed-line broadband penetration by platform – 2011 – 2022
Table 49 – Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by rate – 2011 – 2021
Table 50 – Change in the proportion of broadband connections by rate – 2011 – 2021
Table 51 – Change in the number of cable broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 52 – Change in the number of Sunrise’s broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2022
Table 53 – Decline in the number of DSL subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 54 – Growth in the number of Swisscom’s fixed broadband subscribers (thousand) – 2011 – 2022
Table 55 – Growth in the number of Sunrise’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2020
Table 56 – Development of Sunrise’s broadband and TV revenue – 2016 – 2020
Table 57 – Growth in the number of fibre subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 58 – Change in the number of satellite broadband and telephony subscribers – 2011 – 2020
Table 59 – Change in the market share of fixed-line subscribers by operator – 2011 – 2021
Table 60 – Development of fixed-network revenue – 2011 – 2021
Table 61 – Development of Swisscom Group’s financial data (CHF billion) – 2009 – 2022
Table 62 – Development of Swisscom’s domestic financial data by sector (CHF million) – 2011 – 2022
Table 63 – Change in the number of Swisscom’s domestic fixed-voice, mobile, IPTV subscribers (thousand) – 2011 – 2022
Table 64 – Development of Sunrise’s revenue by service (CHF million) – 2009 – 2020
Table 65 – Change in the number of Sunrise’s subscribers by sector (thousand) – 2011 – 2020
Table 66 – Development of Sunrise’s financial data (€ million) – 2011 – 2022
Table 67 – Change in the number of Sunrise’s broadband and telephony subscribers – 2011 – 2022
Table 68 – Change in the number of Swiss Digital’s subscribers by service – 2011 – 2021
Table 69 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Table 70 – Fixed access lines in service (PSTN or ISDN) – 2011 – 2021
Table 71 – Decline in fixed line traffic by type (billion minutes) – 2009 – 2020
Table 72 – Increase in the number of VoIP connections – 2011 – 2021
Table 73 – Historic - Telecom market revenue, profit, and investment (CHF billion) – 1998 – 2010
Table 74 – Historic - Telecom market revenue by sector (CHF billion) – 1998 – 2010
Table 75 – Historic - Telecom investment by sector (CHF million) – 1998 – 2010
Table 76 – Historic - Interconnection revenue – 2000 – 2010
Table 77 – Historic - Call by Call and CPS lines – 1999 – 2010
Table 78 – Historic - Mobile numbers ported – 2000 – 2010
Table 79 – Historic - Mobile termination charges by operator (€ cents per minute) – 2006, 2009 – 2011
Table 80 – Historic - Mobile termination charges by operator (CFH per minute) – 2016 – 2019
Table 81 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1995; 1997; 1999 – 2010
Table 82 – Historic - Mobile market revenue – 2000 – 2010
Table 83 – Historic - Mobile sector investment, UMTS and total (CHF million) – 1998 – 2010
Table 84 – Historic - Share of subscribers by MNO – 2003 – 2010
Table 85 – Historic - Prepaid subscribers and market share – 1998 – 2010
Table 86 – Historic - Change in the number of 3G mobile subscribers – 2010 – 2017
Table 87 – Historic - Swisscom Mobile prepaid share of subscribers – 1998 – 2010
Table 88 – Historic - Swisscom Mobile SMS and MMS traffic – 2007 – 2014
Table 89 – Historic - SMS traffic – 2002 – 2010
Table 90 – Historic - MMS traffic – 2003 – 2010
Table 91 – Historic - Swisscom Mobile retail revenue – 2003 – 2010
Table 92 – Historic - Sunrise mobile subscribers – 2004 – 2010
Table 93 – Historic - Sunrise revenue and annual change (DKK) – 2006 – 2010
Table 94 – Historic – Salt mobile revenue, annual change – 2005 – 2011
Table 95 – Historic - Salt mobile subscribers – 2000 – 2010
Table 96 – Historic - Salt ARPU – 2006 – 2011
Table 97 – Historic - Salt mobile data as percentage of revenue – 2003 – 2011
Table 98 – Historic - Dial-up internet subscribers – 2000 – 2010
Table 99 – Historic - Internet users and penetration rate – 1996 – 2015
Table 100 – Historic - Fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2000 – 2010
Table 101 – Historic- Fixed-line broadband market share by platform – 2003 – 2010
Table 102 – Historic - DSL market share by operator – 2006 – 2016
Table 103 – Historic - DSL accesses – 2000 – 2010
Table 104 – Historic - Cable broadband subscribers – 2000 – 2010
Table 105 – Historic - Swiss Digital broadband and telephony subscribers – 2003 – 2010
Table 106 – Historic - UPC Switzerland financial data (€ million) – 2005 – 2010
Table 107 – Historic - DSL/fibre accesses by main provider – 2004 – 2016
Table 108 – Historic - DSL/fibre market share by main provider – 2004 – 2016
Table 109 – Historic - Swisscom broadband subscribers – 2003 – 2010
Table 110 – Historic - Fibre connections by type – 2003 – 2017
Table 111 – Historic - BPL broadband subscribers – 2008 – 2016
Table 112 – Historic - Wi-Fi hotspots in service – 2008 – 2016
Table 113 – Historic - Fixed-network revenue – 2000 – 2010
Table 114 – Historic - Swisscom Group net revenue, EBITDA, and net income (CHF billion) – 2004 – 2010
Table 115 – Historic - Sunrise financial data (DKK million) – 2006 – 2010
Table 116 – Historic - Sunrise revenue by type (DKK million) – 2006 – 2010
Table 117 – Historic - Sunrise subscribers by sector – 2005 – 2010
Table 118 – Historic - Swiss Digital’s subscribers by service – 2003 – 2010
Table 119 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1997 – 2010
Table 120 – Historic - ISDN subscribers – 1999 – 2017
Table 121 – Historic - VoIP connections – 2004 – 2010
Table 122 – Historic - Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2010
Table 123 – Historic - Growth in mobile data traffic – 2008 – 2010
Table 124 – Historic - Decline in Swisscom Mobile blended ARPU – 2006 – 2010
Table 125 – Historic - Change in Swisscom Mobile’s subscribers by type (million) – 2006 – 2010
Table 126 – Historic - Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by platform (thousand) – 2000 – 2010
Table 127 – Historic - Fixed-line broadband market share by operator – 2008 – 2010
Table 128 – Historic - Development of fixed-line broadband penetration by platform – 2004 – 2010
Table 129 – Historic - Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by rate – 2008 – 2010
Table 130 – Historic - Change in the proportion of broadband connections by rate – 2008 – 2010
Table 131 – Historic - Change in the number of UPC Switzerland’ broadband subscribers – 2007 – 2010
Table 132 – Historic - Growth in the number of Sunrise’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2005 – 2010
Table 133 – Historic - Growth in the number of fibre subscribers – 2007 – 2010
Table 134 – Historic - Change in the number of satellite broadband and telephony subscribers – 1999 – 2010
Table 135 – Historic - Change in the market share of fixed-line subscribers by operator – 2007 – 2010
Table 136 – Historic - Development of Swisscom’s domestic financial data by sector (CHF million) – 2007 – 2010
Table 137 – Historic - Change in the number of Swisscom’s domestic fixed-voice, mobile, IPTV subscribers (thousand) – 2008 – 2010
Table 138 – Historic - Change in the number of UPC Switzerland’ broadband and telephony subscribers – 2007 – 2010
Table 139 – Historic - Decline in fixed line traffic by type (billion minutes) – 1999 – 2010
Table 140 – Historic - Fixed access lines in service (PSTN or ISDN) – 1999 – 2010
Table 141 – Historic - Decline in the number of fixed numbers ported – 2009 – 2018
Table 142 – Historic - Change in MVNO’s market share of mobile subscribers – 2007 – 2018
Table 143 – Historic - Change in the number of VDSL accesses – 2008 – 2019
Table 144 – Historic - Growth in the number of WiMAX broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2017
Table 145 – Historic - PSTN lines in service – 2007 – 2017

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Leaders
Chart 2 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Challengers
Chart 3 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Emergents
Chart 4 – Europe - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
Chart 5 – Europe – Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 6 – Scandinavia/Baltics fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 7 – Northern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 8 – Eastern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 9 – Southern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 10 – Development of telecom market revenue, profit, and investment – 2011 – 2021
Chart 11 – Change in telecom market revenue by sector – 2011 – 2021
Chart 12 – Development of telecom investment by sector – 2011 – 2021
Chart 13 – Change in interconnection revenue – 2011 – 2021
Chart 14 – Growth in the number of fully unbundled lines – 2011 – 2021
Chart 15 – Change in the number of fixed-numbers ported – 2011 – 2019
Chart 16 – Decline in the number of Call by Call and CPS lines – 2011 – 2021
Chart 17 – Change in the number of mobile numbers ported and proportion to total – 2009 – 2021
Chart 18 – Development of mobile roaming revenue by service – 2013 – 2020
Chart 19 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 20 – Change in mobile market revenue – 2011 – 2021
Chart 21 – Change in mobile sector investment (3G and total) – 2009 – 2021
Chart 22 – Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by operator – 2011 – 2021
Chart 23 – Change in the number of prepaid and contract subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 24 – Development of geographic coverage by mobile technology – 2010 – 2021
Chart 25 – Change in the number of 3G mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2017
Chart 26 – Change in mobile voice traffic (million calls) – 2013 – 2021
Chart 27 – Change in mobile voice traffic (million minutes) – 2013 – 2021
Chart 28 – Decline in SMS traffic – 2011 – 2021
Chart 29 – Decline in MMS traffic – 2011 – 2021
Chart 30 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 31 – Growth in mobile data traffic – 2011 – 2021
Chart 32 – Decline in Swisscom Mobile blended ARPU – 2011 – 2022
Chart 33 – Decline in Swisscom Mobile’s residential mobile revenue – 2009 – 2022
Chart 34 – Change in Swisscom Mobile’s subscribers by type – 2011 – 2022
Chart 35 – Change in the number of Sunrise’s mobile subscribers – 2009 – 2022
Chart 36 – Development of Sunrise’s mobile revenue (CHF) – 2009 – 2020
Chart 37 – Decline in Sunrise’s mobile ARPU – 2011 – 2020
Chart 38 – Development of Salt Mobile’s financial data – 2010 – 2021
Chart 39 – Change in the number of Salt Mobile’s mobile subscribers – 2009 – 2022
Chart 40 – Decline in the number of dial-up internet subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 41 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 42 – Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by platform – 2011 – 2021
Chart 43 – Change in fixed-line broadband market share by platform – 2011 – 2021
Chart 44 – Development of fixed-line broadband market share by operator – 2011 – 2021
Chart 45 – Development of fixed-line broadband penetration by platform – 2011 – 2022
Chart 46 – Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by rate – 2014 – 2021
Chart 47 – Change in the proportion of broadband connections by rate – 2011 – 2021
Chart 48 – Change in the number of cable broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 49 – Change in the number of Sunrise’s broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2022
Chart 50 – Decline in the number of DSL subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 51 – Growth in the number of Swisscom’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2022
Chart 52 – Growth in the number of Sunrise’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2020
Chart 53 – Growth in the number of fibre subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 54 – Change in the number of satellite broadband and telephony subscribers – 2011 – 2020
Chart 55 – Change in the market share of fixed-line subscribers by operator – 2011 – 2021
Chart 56 – Development of fixed-network revenue – 2011 – 2021
Chart 57 – Development of Swisscom Group’s financial data – 2009 – 2022
Chart 58 – Development of Swisscom’s domestic financial data by sector – 2011 – 2022
Chart 59 – Change in the number of Swisscom’s domestic fixed-voice, mobile, IPTV subscribers – 2011 – 2022
Chart 60 – Development of Sunrise’s revenue by service (CHF) – 2009 – 2020
Chart 61 – Change in the number of Sunrise’s subscribers by sector – 2011 – 2020
Chart 62 – Development of Sunrise’s financial data – 2011 – 2022
Chart 63 – Change in the number of Sunrise’s broadband and telephony subscribers – 2011 – 2022
Chart 64 – Change in the number of Swiss Digital’s subscribers by service – 2011 – 2021
Chart 65 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Chart 66 – Decline in fixed line traffic by type – 2011 – 2020
Chart 67 – Increase in the number of VoIP connections – 2011 – 2021

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in Europe
Exhibit 2 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 3 – Europe – Market Leaders and market developments
Exhibit 4 – Europe – Market Challengers and market developments
Exhibit 5 – Europe – Market Emergents and market developments
Exhibit 6 – Access and the local loop
Exhibit 7 – Mobile spectrum auction results – 2012
Exhibit 8 – Mobile spectrum auction results – 2019
Exhibit 9 – Decline in the MTR (CHF / minute) – 2016 – 2019; 2022

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Switzerland Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Switzerland’s MNOs not to switch off 3G until 2025

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Europe Market Comparison

Country overview

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Digital economy

Appendix – Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

TMT Intelligence

A platform to scale your intelligence tasks

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views