Switzerland is definitely well-connected.
As of 2017, the country has the second
highest proportion of fixed broadband connections globally – with 46.3 subscriptions
per 100 inhabitants. Of course, the internet coverage is good both in the cities and in
the countryside. Switzerland has the sophisticated telecom sector and gets to enjoy
one of the best and very high broadband penetration rates within European Union as
well as among the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) nations.
Recently, there has been the focus on the ultra-fast broadband that is defined as the
service of at least 100 Mb/s. To the end, the government has been promoting
technologies based on the fiber, DOCSIS3.1, LTE, and 5G.
Types of connection
In Switzerland, you can access the internet via dial-up, ADSL, ISDN and cable.
Dial can be charged either by the minute or by a fixed monthly contract, but it often
provides limited access.
ISDN, or Integrated Services Digital Network with a connection ranging between 64
and 128 kbps and is often contract-free, but the fees are higher.
ADSL, known as Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line is the fastest and most
convenient solution.
Cable connection allows you to surf broadband to make phone calls and access to
cable television.
You are not likely to find many Wi-Fi hotspots in Switzerland, except in shopping
centres, cafes, restaurants, metro stations etc.
Good to know:
If you have neither a computer nor an Internet connection, you can find
internet cafes in most Swiss cities. Some shops and call centres also provide public
computers with internet connection. Fees generally are around CHF 1-1,50 (â¬0,86-
1,30) per hour. You can also opt for multi-hour passes, which allow users to stay
connected for longer at low rates.
Internet providers
Some of the most popular internet providers in Switzerland are Swisscom,
Sunrise, Green, UPC and DFI, the leading provider in Geneva. Whichever you
choose, perhaps the most cost-effective thing to do would be to sign up for a TV,
telephone and internet package with a single provider.
Swisscom -company’s roots date back to 1852. On 5 October 1998, Swisscom Ltd
was floated on the stock exchange. In 2007, Swisscom entered the TV industry and,
by the end of 2012, it led the digital TV market with 791,000 subscribers. Since 2009,
Swisscom pushed ahead with the expansion of the fibre-optic network in Switzerland.
Swisscom achieved a Speed Score of 52.58 mbps, with an average download speed
of 60.36 mbps and average upload speed of 21.44 mbps.
Sunrise - The largest non state-controlled telecommunications company in
Switzerland, offering its mobile, Internet, TV and landline services to private and
business customers. In began in the year 1996. British Telecom and Tele Danmark
become partners and investors at Newtelco and launch the Sunrise brand in 1997. Its
average download speeds of 35.3 mbps and an average mobile data connection of
25.7 mbps.
Green – green.ch is one of the leading ICT service providers in Switzerland. The
company offers high-quality products and services, both nationally and
internationally. Founded in 1995 with a legal name of green.ch AG. Green has a
download speed of 51.1 mbps and 31.0 mbps for upload speed.
UPC - UPC stands for connectivity and the best entertainment. The roots lie in
Rediffusion AG, established 1931. This company was merged together with other
cable companies in the 1990s, resulting in «Cablecom». In 2005, the company was
acquired by the world’s largest cable operator, Liberty Global. In 2014 the company
launched its own Mobile services, and two years later upc cablecom became UPC.
UPC Switzerland equipped all internet customers with speeds of at least 100mbps.
DFI - D-Fi is the local, Wanaka based and operated ISP Company founded in 1987
under the technical responsibility and commercial Fokeladeh Ziad Samir Fokeladeh.
They started providing Internet Services in early 2013. The local network runs on
high-speed wireless technology using repeaters we built around the Wanaka Region.
Good to know:
Swiss operators also provide Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and LCR
connection, aka using the Internet to make local and international phone calls at a
lower cost.
