Switzerland’s MNOs prepare for early 2019 spectrum auctionSwitzerland 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
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1. Key statistics
1.1 Country overview
2. Telecommunications market
2.1 Market analysis
2.2 Government ICT strategy
3. Regulatory environment
3.1 Historical overview
3.2 Regulatory authorities
3.3 Telecom sector liberalisation
3.4 Privatisation
3.5 Interconnect
3.6 Leased lines
3.7 Access
3.7.1 Bitstream access
3.8 Number Portability (NP)
3.9 Carrier PreSelection (CPS)
3.10 Universal Service Obligation (USO)
4. Fixed network operators
4.1 Overview of the national telecom network
4.2 Swisscom
4.3 Sunrise
4.4 UPC Switzerland
4.5 Swiss Digital
5. Telecommunications infrastructure
5.1 National telecom network
5.2 LoRa network
5.3 VoIP
5.4 Smart infrastructure
5.4.1 Smart cities
6. Broadband market
6.1 Introduction and statistical overview
6.1.1 Market analysis
6.1.2 Network Neutrality
6.1.3 Broadband statistics
6.1.4 Forecasts – broadband subscribers – 2019; 2021; 2023
6.2 Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks
6.2.1 UPC Switzerland
6.3 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
6.3.1 Swisscom
6.3.2 Sunrise
6.3.3 Cybernet
6.3.4 Salt
6.3.5 VDSL
6.3.6 Naked DSL
6.3.7 G.fast
6.4 Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
6.4.1 Regulatory measures
6.4.2 Network sharing
6.5 Other fixed broadband services
6.5.1 Broadband Powerline (BPL)
6.5.2 Fixed wireless
6.5.3 Satellite
7. Digital economy
7.1 e-government
7.2 e-economy
7.3 e-health
8. Mobile communications
8.1 Mobile statistics
8.1.1 General statistics
8.2 Mobile infrastructure
8.2.1 5G
8.2.2 4G (LTE)
8.2.3 3G
8.2.4 2G
8.2.5 Other infrastructure developments
8.3 Mobile voice
8.4 Mobile data
8.4.1 SMS and MMS
8.5 Mobile broadband
8.6 Regulatory issues
8.6.1 Spectrum regulations and spectrum auctions
8.6.2 Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
8.6.3 Mobile termination Rates (MTRs)
8.6.4 Roaming
8.7 Major mobile operators
8.7.1 Swisscom Mobile
8.7.2 Sunrise
8.7.3 Salt Mobile
8.7.4 Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)
8.7.5 Mobile Virtual Network Enablers (MVNEs)
8.8 Mobile content and applications
8.8.1 m-Music
8.8.2 Location-based services
8.8.3 m-ticketing
8.8.4 m-commerce
Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Switzerland – 2018 (e)
Table 2 – Telecom sector revenue, profit and investment –1998 - 2017
Table 3 – Telecom revenue by sector – 1998 - 2017
Table 4 – Telecom investment by sector – 1998 - 2017
Table 5 – Interconnection revenue – 2000 - 2017
Table 6 – Fully unbundled lines – 2007 - 2018
Table 7 – Fully partially unbundled lines – 2009 - 2016
Table 8 – Annual fixed numbers ported – 2007 - 2017
Table 9 – Call by Call and CPS lines – 1999 - 2017
Table 10 – Market share of fixed lines by major operator – 2007 - 2016
Table 11 – Fixed-network revenue – 2000 - 2017
Table 12 – Swisscom Group net revenue, EBITDA and net income – 2004 - 2018
Table 13 – Swisscom (Switzerland) financial data by sector – 2007 - 2018
Table 14 – Swisscom fixed-voice, mobile, IPTV subscribers – 2008 - 2018
Table 15 – Swisscom retail and wholesale broadband subscribers – 2008 - 2018
Table 16 – Sunrise financial data (historic DKK) – 2006 - 2010
Table 17 – Sunrise revenue by type (historic DKK) – 2006 - 2010
Table 18 – Sunrise revenue by service (CHF) – 2009 - 2018
Table 19 –Sunrise subscribers by sector – 2005 - 2018
Table 20 – UPC subscribers by type – 2016 - 2018
Table 21 – UPC financial data – 2007 - 2018
Table 22 – Swiss Digital subscribers by service – 2003 - 2018
Table 23 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1997; 1999 - 2009
Table 24 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2010 - 2018
Table 25 – PSTN lines in service – 2007 - 2016
Table 26 – Fixed line traffic – 2002 - 2017
Table 27 – ISDN subscribers – 1999 - 2016
Table 28 – VoIP connections – 2004 - 2017
Table 29 – Dial-up internet subscribers – 2000 - 2015
Table 30 – Historic - Internet users and penetration rate – 1996 - 2009
Table 31 – Internet users and penetration rate – 2010 - 2018
Table 32 – Fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2000 - 2018
Table 33 – Fixed-line broadband market share by platform (cable, DSL) – 2003 - 2017
Table 34 – DSL market share by operator – 2006 - 2016
Table 35 – Fixed-line broadband market share by operator – 2008 - 2017
Table 36 – Broadband penetration by technology – 2004 - 2017
Table 37 – Broadband availability by technology – 2016
Table 38 – Broadband connections by data rate – 2008 - 2017
Table 39 – Proportion of broadband connections by data rate – 2008 - 2017
Table 40 – Forecast fixed-line broadband subscribers –– 2019; 2021; 2023
Table 41 – Cable broadband subscribers – 2000 - 2018
Table 42 – Swiss Digital broadband and telephony subscribers – 2003 - 2018
Table 43 – UPC Switzerland financial data – 2005 - 2018
Table 44 – UPC Switzerland broadband and telephony subscribers – 2007 - 2018
Table 45 – DSL accesses – 2000 - 2018
Table 46 – DSL/fibre accesses by main provider – 2004 - 2016
Table 47 – DSL/fibre market share by main provider – 2004 - 2016
Table 48 – Swisscom broadband subscribers – 2003 - 2018
Table 49 – Sunrise broadband subscribers – 2005 - 2018
Table 50 – VDSL accesses – 2008 - 2018
Table 51 – Fibre subscribers – 2003 - 2016
Table 52 – BPL broadband subscribers – 2008 - 2016
Table 53 – Wi-Fi hotspots in service – 2008 - 2016
Table 54 – WiMAX broadband subscribers – 2012 - 2017
Table 55 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1995; 1997; 1999 - 2009
Table 56 – Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 2010 - 2018
Table 57 – Mobile market revenue – 2000 - 2017
Table 58 – Historic - Mobile sector investment, UMTS and total – 1998 - 2009
Table 59 – Mobile sector investment, UMTS and total – 2010 - 2017
Table 60 – Share of subscribers by MNO – 2003 - 2017
Table 61 – Share of subscribers by MNO and MVNO – 2007 - 2017
Table 62 – Mobile network geographic coverage by technology – 2010 - 2016
Table 63 – Mobile network population coverage by technology – 2013 - 2016
Table 64 – Historic - Prepaid subscribers and market share – 1998 - 2009
Table 65 – Prepaid subscribers and market share – 2010 - 2017
Table 66 – Swisscom mobile contract and prepaid subscribers – 2006 - 2018
Table 67 – Swisscom Mobile prepaid share of subscribers – 1998 - 2018
Table 68 – 3G mobile subscribers – 2010 - 2017
Table 69 – M2M connections – 2014 - 2016
Table 70 – Swisscom Mobile SMS and MMS traffic – 2007 - 2014
Table 71 – SMS traffic – 2002 - 2018
Table 72 – MMS traffic – 2003 - 2018
Table 73 – Mobile internet subscribers by technology – 2009 - 2017
Table 74 – Active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2009 - 2018
Table 75 – Mobile data traffic – 2008 - 2018
Table 76 – Mobile spectrum auction – 2012
Table 77 – Mobile numbers ported – 2000 - 2017
Table 78 – Mobile termination charges by operator – 2006; 2009 - 2011
Table 79 – Mobile termination charges by operator – 2016 - 2019
Table 80 – European roaming charges – 2007 – 2016
Table 81 – European data roaming charges – 2014 - 2017
Table 82 – Swisscom Mobile blended ARPU – 2006 - 2018
Table 83 – Swisscom Mobile retail revenue – 2003 - 2018
Table 84 – Swisscom Mobile subscribers – 2006 - 2018
Table 85 – Sunrise subscribers – 2004 - 2018
Table 86 – Historic - Sunrise revenue and annual change (DKK) – 2006 - 2010
Table 87 – Sunrise mobile revenue (CHF) – 2009 - 2018
Table 88 – Sunrise mobile revenue by quarter (CHF) – 2012 - 2018
Table 89 – Sunrise subscribers ARPU – 2011 - 2018
Table 90 – Salt mobile subscribers – 2000 - 2018
Table 91 – Historic – Salt mobile revenue (€), annual change – 2005 - 2011
Table 92 – Salt financial data (CHF) – 2010 - 2014
Table 93 – Salt ARPU – 2006 - 2011
Table 94 – Salt mobile data as percentage of revenue (historic) – 2003 - 2011
Table 95 – UPC Switzerland mobile subscribers – 2016 - 2018
Chart 1 – Telecom sector revenue, profit and investment – 1998 – 2017
Chart 2 – Telecom revenue by sector – 1998 – 2017
Chart 3 – Swisscom Group net revenue, EBITDA and net income – 2004 – 2018
Chart 4 – Swisscom (Switzerland) financial data by sector – 2007 – 2018
Chart 5 – Swisscom fixed-voice, mobile, IPTV subscribers – 2008 – 2018
Chart 6 – Sunrise revenue by service (CHF) – 2009 – 2018
Chart 7 –Sunrise subscribers by sector – 2005 – 2018
Chart 8 – UPC financial data – 2007 – 2018
Chart 9 – Swiss Digital subscribers by service – 2003 – 2018
Chart 10 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2005 – 2018
Chart 11 – Internet users and penetration rate – 2005 – 2018
Chart 12 – Fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2000 – 2018
Chart 13 – Broadband market share by platform (cable, DSL) – 2003 – 2017
Chart 14 – Fixed-line broadband market share by operator – 2008 – 2017
Chart 15 – Proportion of broadband connections by data rate – 2008 – 2017
Chart 16 – Swiss Digital broadband and telephony subscribers – 2003 – 2018
Chart 17 – UPC Switzerland financial data – 2005 – 2018
Chart 18 – UPC Switzerland broadband and telephony subscribers – 2007 – 2018
Chart 19 – DSL/fibre accesses by main provider (historic) – 2004 – 2016
Chart 20 – DSL market share by main provider – 2004 – 2016
Chart 21 – Swisscom broadband subscribers – 2003 – 2018
Chart 22 – Fibre subscribers – 2003 – 2016
Chart 23 – Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 2002 – 2018
Chart 24 – Share of subscribers by MNO – 2005 – 2017
Chart 25 – Share of subscribers by MNO and MVNO – 2007 – 2017
Chart 26 – Prepaid subscribers and market share – 2003 – 2017
Chart 27 – Swisscom Mobile contract and prepaid subscribers – 2006 – 2018
Chart 28 – Active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2018
Chart 29 – Sunrise subscribers – 2004 – 2018
Exhibit 1 – Access and the local loop
