Switzerland calls halt on 5G amid radiation health fears

Sydney, March 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of Paul Budde Communication’s focus report on Switzerland outlines the major developments and key aspects in the telecoms markets.
Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Switzerland-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses

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. The bid from the full-service provider Sunrise to acquire the operator was called off in late 2019.

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 a diminishing share of the market, while that for fibre has increased rapidly. UPC Switzerland offers broadband in most cities and towns, and its gigabit service is now available across its footprint This network upgrade spurred 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.

The government has promoted technologies providing focus on ‘ultra-fast’ broadband, and by the end of 2020 fixed-line networks are expected to deliver at least 100Mb/s to 85% of the population. 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. Although there are about 2,000 5G-ready mobile antennae, the environment agency in late 2019 urged canton governments to halt 5G transmissions (though development in 5G infrastructure can continue) pending further checks on the health implications of radiofrequency radiation.

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, UPC Switzerland and Sunrise. 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. Subscriber forecasts to 2024 are provided covering a range of services.

Key developments:

Environment agency concerns of 5G tower radiation results in halt of services;
Sunrise expands the reach of its 5G network;
Fine against Swisscom for unfair DSL pricing confirmed by Federal Supreme Court;
Salt extends the reach of its FttP footprint via Swiss Fibre deal;
Regulator concludes multi-spectrum auction for 5G services;
Sunrise and Swisscom to switch off 2G infrastructure;
Swisscom and Ericsson trial 10Gb/s 5G;
Federal Council adopts changes to Telecommunications Act;
Swisscom deploys LoRa networks;
Regulatory measures eliminate FttP network duplication, increase minimum internet speed on Swisscom's USO;
UPC Switzerland extends gigabit services across its footprint;
Report update includes the regulator's market data for 2018, telcos' operating and financial data to Q4 2019, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses; recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

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

Henry Lancaster
February 2020

Table of Contents

Key statistics
Regional European Market Comparison
- Europe Telecom Maturity Index by tier
  - 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
- Historical overview
- 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)
- 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 Rates (MTRs)
  - 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
- UPC Switzerland
- Swiss Digital
Telecommunications infrastructure
- Overview of the national telecom network
- LoRa network
- VoIP
- Smart infrastructure
  - Smart cities
Digital economy
- e-government
- e-economy
- e-health
Appendix – Historic data
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Switzerland – 2019 (e)
Table 2 – Development of telecom market revenue, profit and investment – 2009 – 2018
Table 3 – Change in telecom market revenue by sector – 2009 – 2018
Table 4 – Development of telecom investment by sector – 2009 – 2018
Table 5 – Change in interconnection revenue – 2009 - 2018
Table 6 – Growth in the number of fully unbundled lines – 2008 – 2019
Table 7 – Growth in the number of bitstream access lines – 2014 – 2017
Table 8 – Decline in the number of fixed numbers ported – 2009 – 2018
Table 9 – Decline in the number of Call by Call and CPS lines – 2009 – 2018
Table 10 – Change in the number of mobile numbers ported and proportion to total – 2009 – 2018
Table 11 – Development of mobile roaming revenue by service – 2013 – 2018
Table 12 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 2009 – 2024
Table 13 – Change in mobile market revenue – 2009 – 2018
Table 14 – Change in mobile sector investment (UMTS and total) – 2009 – 2018
Table 15 – Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by MNO – 2009 – 2018
Table 16 – Decline in the number of prepaid subscribers and market share – 2009 – 2018
Table 17 – Fall in the proportion Swisscom Mobile’ prepaid share to total – 2009 – 2019
Table 18 – Development of geographic coverage by mobile technology – 2010 – 2018
Table 19 – Change in the number of 3G mobile subscribers – 2010 – 2017
Table 20 – Growth in the number of M2M connections – 2014 – 2017
Table 21 – Decline in SMS traffic – 2009 – 2018
Table 22 – Decline in MMS traffic – 2009 – 2018
Table 23 – Mobile internet subscribers by technology – 2009 – 2018
Table 24 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2024
Table 25 – Growth in mobile data traffic – 2008 – 2018
Table 26 – Decline in Swisscom Mobile blended ARPU – 2006 – 2019
Table 27 – Decline in Swisscom Mobile’s retail mobile revenue – 2009 – 2019
Table 28 – Change in Swisscom Mobile’s subscribers by type – 2006 – 2019
Table 29 – Change in the number of Sunrise’s mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2019
Table 30 – Development of Sunrise’s mobile revenue (CHF) – 2009 – 2019
Table 31 – Development of Sunrise’s mobile revenue by quarter (CHF) – 2012 – 2019
Table 32 – Decline in Sunrise’s mobile ARPU – 2011 – 2019
Table 33 – Development of Salt Mobile’s financial data (CHF) – 2010 – 2019
Table 34 – Fall in Salt Mobile’s subscribers – 2009 – 2019
Table 35 – Growth in the number of UPC Switzerland’s mobile subscribers – 2016 – 2019
Table 36 – Change in MVNO’s market share of mobile subscribers – 2008 – 2018
Table 37 – Decline in the number of dial-up internet subscribers – 2009 – 2018
Table 38 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2024
Table 39 – Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by platform – 2009 – 2018
Table 40 – Change in fixed-line broadband market share by platform – 2009 – 2018
Table 41 – Fixed-line broadband market share by operator – 2008 – 2018
Table 42 – Development of fixed-line broadband penetration by platform – 2004 – 2018
Table 43 – Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by rate – 2008 – 2018
Table 44 – Change in the proportion of broadband connections by rate – 2008 – 2018
Table 45 – Change in the number of cable broadband subscribers – 2009 – 2018
Table 46 – Change in the number of UPC Switzerland’ broadband subscribers – 2007 – 2019
Table 47 – Decline in the number of DSL accesses – 2009 – 2018
Table 48 – Growth in the number of Swisscom’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2009 – 2019
Table 49 – Growth in the number of Sunrise’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2009 – 2019
Table 50 – Development of Sunrise’s broadband and TV revenue – 2016 – 2019
Table 51 – Change in the number of VDSL accesses – 2009 – 2019
Table 52 – Growth in the number of fibre connections by type – 2009 – 2017
Table 53 – Growth in the number of fibre subscribers – 2007 – 2018
Table 54 – Growth in the number of WiMAX broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2017
Table 55 – Change in the number of satellite broadband and telephony subscribers – 2014 – 2017
Table 56 – Change in the market share of fixed-line subscribers by operator – 2007 – 2018
Table 57 – Development of fixed-network revenue – 2009 – 2017
Table 58 – Development of Swisscom Group’s financial data – 2009 – 2019
Table 59 – Development of Swisscom’s domestic financial data by sector – 2007 – 2019
Table 60 – Change in the number of Swisscom’s domestic fixed-voice, mobile, IPTV subscribers – 2008 – 2019
Table 61 – Development of Sunrise’s revenue by service (CHF) – 2009 – 2019
Table 62 – Change in the number of Sunrise’s subscribers by sector – 2009 – 2019
Table 63 – Development of UPC Switzerland’s financial data – 2007 – 2019
Table 64 – Change in the number of UPC Switzerland’ broadband and telephony subscribers – 2007 – 2019
Table 65 – Change in the number of Swiss Digital’s subscribers by service – 2009 – 2018
Table 66 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2009 – 2024
Table 67 – PSTN lines in service – 2007 – 2017
Table 68 – Decline in fixed line traffic by type – 2009 – 2017
Table 69 – Decline in the number of ISDN subscribers by type – 2009 – 2017
Table 70 – Increase in the number of VoIP connections – 2009 – 2018
Table 71 – Historic - Telecom market revenue, profit and investment –1998 – 2009
Table 72 – Historic - Telecom market revenue by sector – 1998 – 2009
Table 73 – Historic - Telecom investment by sector – 1998 – 2009
Table 74 – Historic - Interconnection revenue – 2000 - 2009
Table 75 – Historic - Call by Call and CPS lines – 1999 – 2008
Table 76 – Historic - Mobile numbers ported – 2000 – 2009
Table 77 – Mobile termination charges by operator – 2006; 2009 – 2011
Table 78 – Mobile termination charges by operator – 2016 – 2019
Table 79 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1995; 1997; 1999 – 2009
Table 80 – Mobile market revenue – 2000 – 2009
Table 81 – Historic - Mobile sector investment, UMTS and total – 1998 – 2009
Table 82 – Historic - Share of subscribers by MNO – 2003 – 2009
Table 83 – Historic - Prepaid subscribers and market share – 1998 – 2009
Table 84 – Historic - Swisscom Mobile prepaid share of subscribers – 1998 – 2009
Table 85 – Historic - Swisscom Mobile SMS and MMS traffic – 2007 – 2014
Table 86 – Historic - SMS traffic – 2002 – 2009
Table 87 – Historic - MMS traffic – 2003 – 2009
Table 88 – Historic - Swisscom Mobile retail revenue – 2003 – 2009
Table 89 – Historic - Sunrise mobile subscribers – 2004 – 2010
Table 90 – Historic - Sunrise revenue and annual change (DKK) – 2006 – 2010
Table 91 – Historic – Salt mobile revenue (€), annual change – 2005 – 2011
Table 92 – Historic - Salt mobile subscribers – 2000 – 2009
Table 93 – Historic - Salt ARPU – 2006 – 2011
Table 94 – Historic - Salt mobile data as percentage of revenue – 2003 – 2011
Table 95 – Dial-up internet subscribers – 2000 – 2009
Table 96 – Historic - Internet users and penetration rate – 1996 – 2015
Table 97 – Historic - Fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2000 – 2009
Table 98 – Historic- Fixed-line broadband market share by platform – 2003 – 2009
Table 99 – Historic - DSL market share by operator – 2006 – 2016
Table 100 – Historic - DSL accesses – 2000 – 2009
Table 101 – Historic - Cable broadband subscribers – 2000 – 2009
Table 102 – Historic - Swiss Digital broadband and telephony subscribers – 2003 – 2009
Table 103 – Historic - UPC Switzerland financial data – 2005 – 2009
Table 104 – Historic - DSL/fibre accesses by main provider – 2004 – 2016
Table 105 – Historic - DSL/fibre market share by main provider – 2004 – 2016
Table 106 – Historic - Swisscom broadband subscribers – 2003 – 2009
Table 107 – Historic - Fibre connections by type – 2003 – 2009
Table 108 – Historic - BPL broadband subscribers – 2008 – 2016
Table 109 – Historic - Wi-Fi hotspots in service – 2008 – 2016
Table 110 – Historic - Fixed-network revenue – 2000 – 2009
Table 111 – Historic - Swisscom Group net revenue, EBITDA and net income – 2004 – 2009
Table 112 – Historic - Sunrise financial data (DKK) – 2006 – 2010
Table 113 – Historic - Sunrise revenue by type (DKK) – 2006 – 2009
Table 114 – Historic - Sunrise subscribers by sector – 2005 – 2009
Table 115 – Historic - Swiss Digital’s subscribers by service – 2003 – 2009
Table 116 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1997; 1999 – 2009
Table 117 – Historic - ISDN subscribers – 1999 – 2009
Table 118 – Historic - VoIP connections – 2004 – 2009

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Leaders (top tier)
Chart 2 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Challengers (middle tier)
Chart 3 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Emergents (bottom tier)
Chart 4 – Overall view - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita
Chart 5 – Europe - mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 6 – Scandinavia and Baltics: mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 7 – Northern Europe –mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 8 – Southern Europe mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 9 – Eastern Europe mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 11 – Northern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 12 – Southern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 13 – Eastern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 14 – Development of telecom market revenue, profit and investment – 2009 – 2018
Chart 15 – Change in telecom market revenue by sector – 2009 – 2018
Chart 16 – Development of telecom investment by sector – 2009 – 2018
Chart 17 – Change in interconnection revenue – 2009 - 2018
Chart 18 – Growth in the number of fully unbundled lines – 2008 – 2019
Chart 19 – Decline in the number of fixed numbers ported – 2009 – 2018
Chart 20 – Decline in the number of Call by Call and CPS lines – 2009 – 2018
Chart 21 – Change in the number of mobile numbers ported and proportion to total – 2009 – 2018
Chart 22 – Development of mobile roaming revenue by service – 2013 – 2018
Chart 23 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 2009 – 2024
Chart 24 – Change in mobile market revenue – 2009 – 2018
Chart 25 – Change in mobile sector investment (UMTS and total) – 2009 – 2018
Chart 26 – Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by MNO – 2009 – 2018
Chart 27 – Decline in the number of prepaid subscribers and market share – 2009 – 2018
Chart 28 – Fall in the proportion Swisscom Mobile’ prepaid share to total – 2009 – 2019
Chart 29 – Development of geographic coverage by mobile technology – 2010 – 2018
Chart 30 – Change in SMS and MMS traffic – 2009 – 2018
Chart 31 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2024
Chart 32 – Growth in mobile data traffic – 2008 – 2018
Chart 33 – Decline in Swisscom Mobile blended ARPU – 2006 – 2019
Chart 34 – Decline in Swisscom Mobile’s retail mobile revenue – 2009 – 2019
Chart 35 – Change in Swisscom Mobile’s subscribers by type – 2006 – 2019
Chart 36 – Change in the number of Sunrise’s mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2019
Chart 37 – Development of Sunrise’s mobile revenue (CHF) – 2009 – 2019
Chart 38 – Decline in Sunrise’s mobile ARPU – 2011 – 2019
Chart 39 – Development of Salt Mobile’s financial data (CHF) – 2010 – 2019
Chart 40 – Fall in Salt Mobile’s subscribers – 2009 – 2019
Chart 41 – Change in MVNO’s market share of mobile subscribers – 2007 – 2018
Chart 42 – Decline in the number of dial-up internet subscribers – 2009 – 2018
Chart 43 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2024
Chart 44 – Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by platform – 2009 – 2018
Chart 45 – Change in fixed-line broadband market share by platform – 2009 – 2018
Chart 46 – Development of fixed-line broadband market share by operator – 2008 – 2018
Chart 47 – Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by rate – 2008 – 2018
Chart 48 – Change in the proportion of broadband connections by rate – 2008 – 2018
Chart 49 – Change in the number of Swiss Digital’s broadband and telephony subscribers – 2009 – 2018
Chart 50 – Growth in the number of Swisscom’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2009 – 2019
Chart 51 – Growth in the number of Sunrise’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2005 – 2019
Chart 52 – Change in the number of VDSL accesses – 2009 – 2019
Chart 53 – Growth in the number of fibre connections by type – 2009 – 2017
Chart 54 – Change in the market share of fixed-line subscribers by operator – 2007 – 2018
Chart 55 – Development of fixed-network revenue – 2009 – 2017
Chart 56 – Development of Swisscom Group’s financial data – 2009 – 2019
Chart 57 – Development of Swisscom’s domestic financial data by sector – 2007 – 2019
Chart 58 – Change in the number of Swisscom’s domestic fixed-voice, mobile, IPTV subscribers – 2008 – 2019
Chart 59 – Development of Sunrise’s revenue by service (CHF) – 2009 – 2019
Chart 60 – Change in the number of Sunrise’s subscribers by sector – 2009 – 2019
Chart 61 – Development of UPC Switzerland’s financial data – 2007 – 2019
Chart 62 – Change in the number of UPC Switzerland’ broadband and telephony subscribers – 2007 – 2019
Chart 63 – Change in the number of Swiss Digital’s subscribers by service – 2009 – 2018
Chart 64 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2009 – 2024
Chart 65 – Decline in fixed line traffic by type – 2009 – 2017
Chart 66 – Decline in the number of ISDN subscribers by type – 2009 – 2017
Chart 67 – Increase in the number of VoIP connections – 2009 – 2018

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 2 – Access and the local loop
Exhibit 3 – Mobile spectrum auction – 2012
Exhibit 4 – Mobile spectrum auction – 2019
Exhibit 5 – Decline in MTRs (CHF / minute) – 2016 - 2019

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Switzerland-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses

Switzerland calls halt on 5G amid radiation health fears

Environment agency concerns of 5G tower radiation results in halt of services;

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