Copper
phaseout

After around 150 years, the copper era is coming to an end.

Residential customers
Wholesale customers

So long, copper

Copper has already been replaced by optical fibre in the exchanges and distributors in recent years, and now the plan is gradually to replace the last few metres of copper cable in the regions as well. Besides improving the efficiency of the network, the copper phaseout will also make the network more sustainable.

​ “By replacing our 150-year-old copper network with fibre, we will save around 100 GWh of electricity per year, which is roughly equivalent to the annual consumption of a city of 20,000 inhabitants.”

Mark Düsener Leiter IT, Network & Head of IT, Network & Infrastructure, on the gradual retirement of the copper access network.

FAQs on the copper phaseout

Residential customers

When exactly can I switch to the fibre-optic network?

To make the switch, the fibre-optic network must have been rolled out to your location and you must have an installed fibre-optic socket in your home. If your home does not yet have a fibre-optic socket, Swisscom will arrange for it to be installed by a selected partner. Installation will be triggered as soon as you order a new product on the available fibre-optic network or ask to be changed over, or when Swisscom exclusively offers your existing products at your address on fibre.

You can check whether products are already available on your fibre-optic network on the Swisscom Checker.

Go to checker

What can I do if there is no information on the current rollout status in the Swisscom Checker?

This means that fibre is not yet available at your location. Information about the Swisscom fibre-optic network is usually available around 18 months before the rollout. As soon as the fibre-optic network is available in your area, Swisscom customers like yourself will be sent a letter with more information.

What do I need to do to switch my existing Swisscom products over to the fibre-optic network?

As soon as the fibre-optic network is available in your area, Swisscom customers like yourself will be sent a letter with more information. From this point on, you can switch your Swisscom products over to the fibre-optic network.

You can either apply to switch yourself in the Swisscom Customer Center or call into a Shop or call the hotline and have our employees take care of everything for you. If the switch will be triggered automatically by Swisscom with no further action is required by you for the time being.

How exactly is the fibre-optic socket installed?

If your home does not yet have a fibre-optic socket, you or, in some cases, the property owners will be contacted by a Swisscom partner to arrange an installation appointment.

Swisscom will arrange authorisation for the structural change as well as the location of the fibre-optic socket with the property owners in advance. The installation partners will need access to your home to install the fibre-optic socket. Employees of the installation partner are required to identify themselves with a Swisscom badge and complete the work in your home within 1 working day.

Once the installation is complete, Swisscom will provide you with all the necessary equipment to switch your products over to the fibre-optic network.

Are there any costs associated with switching my existing products over to the fibre-optic network?

Switching your existing Swisscom products over from copper to fibre is generally free of charge. Both the installation of the fibre-optic socket and the necessary equipment for connecting to the fibre-optic network are provided by Swisscom free of charge.

In certain cases, property owners will be charged participation costs for the fibre-optic connection in the building (in-house connection) – for example, if it is a subsequent connection.

Additional costs may be charged for optional services beyond those mentioned. A transparent quotation will be submitted for such services in advance.

Will my existing Swisscom product need adjusting for the switch to the fibre-optic network?

No, existing products/subscriptions can usually be transferred to the fibre-optic network without adjustment. However, you will have the option of switching to a faster Internet subscription on fibre with a bandwidth of up to 10 Gbit/s. If you would like advice on current products and offers, please call the Swisscom hotline or visit a Swisscom Shop.

Could the copper access network be taken out of service before the fibre-optic network is available, resulting in the loss of my Internet connection?

The copper network will be phased out shortly after the fibre rollout. A sufficiently long transition period will therefore be available for the switchover. 

Once the fibre-optic socket has been installed at your address and Swisscom has provided you with the materials you require for the conversion to fibre, your copper line will be switched off after 28 days. If you make the switch during this transition period, it is guaranteed to be smooth and seamless. We cannot guarantee a smooth transition if you wait more than 28 days.

In exceptional cases, it might not be possible to connect a location to the fibre-optic network. In such cases, Swisscom will provide alternatives (a mobile or satellite connection for example).

What is needed to migrate the current connection to fibre?

In addition to an active fibre-optic socket in your home, you will also need a fibre-compatible router. Swisscom will provide this router, together with instructions on switching.

If a fibre-compatible router is already in operation, you will be provided with a fibre-optic cable with connector.

All Internet, WLAN and TV settings will be kept when switching from copper to fibre. No new or additional settings are required – simply connect everything up and you’re done.

Can I opt out of switching over to the fibre-optic network if I am satisfied with my current Internet speed?

No, as soon as Swisscom announces the disconnection of the copper access network at your location, your products must be switched over to the fibre-optic network to ensure the continuation of your Swisscom services.

Even if the copper access network in your area is not yet to be disconnected, we recommend that you switch over to the fibre-optic network to enjoy its associated benefits.

I only use a fixed-line telephone, do I still have to switch over to the fibre-optic network?

Yes, you will also need to switch in this case, as Swisscom fixed network telephony is based on Internet technology and therefore requires an Internet connection. When switching a fixed-line telephone to the fibre-optic network, there will once again be no costs for installation of the fibre-optic socket and required equipment.

Additional costs may be charged for optional services beyond those mentioned. A transparent quotation will be submitted for such services in advance.

Why is Swisscom switching to fiber optics without my consent?

The fiber optic network is superior to the copper network in terms of sustainability, availability, and performance. Therefore, it is possible that Swisscom initiated the switch to fiber optics at your location independently. If this is the case, however, you will be informed in advance via letter and email about the procedure.

Should you have any questions or concerns regarding this transition, our dedicated staff at the hotline and in the shop are available to provide assistance.

What do I need to know about the planned copper phaseout?

Wholesale customers

What will Swisscom’s retirement of the copper access network mean for me and my customers?

It will mean that any services currently provided on the copper access network will have to be switched over to fibre or an alternative infrastructure.

The continuing rollout of the fibre-optic network will allow Swisscom to gradually retire the old copper network. From a financial and sustainability perspective, it makes no sense to operate two networks in parallel for the same purpose. Copper technologies also consume more energy and are susceptible to interference and will soon stop being maintained by manufacturers.

When will the copper access network be switched off?

Swisscom will phase out the copper network successively, one access network at a time. This will take several years and continue into the 2030s.

Swisscom will inform the telecommunications service providers as early as possible about the planned shutdowns.

How do I find out which copper lines are being disconnected and which addresses have fibre access?

Swisscom has issued all telecommunications service providers with initial information about the planned copper phaseout locations and additional information about the FTTH rollout plans up to 2026. Detailed information about the fibre expansion and coverage will be communicated in the already established FTTH lists.

How long will the migration take?

Active connections will be terminated in tranches, usually subject to a 24-month notice period. Shorter notice periods may apply in exceptional cases. For example, if Swisscom is forced to dismantle local exchanges due to expiring leases that are not renewed.

When a copper network is phased out, are customers always guaranteed optical fibre access?

A large part of the copper network will be replaced with fibre. The first disconnection notices are being (or have been) issued in areas already equipped with optical fibre access.

For economic reasons, fibre is not being rolled out to all locations with copper access. Most of these locations are not residential areas.

For the few customers without optical fibre access, telecommunications service providers can develop alternative connection technologies in line with Swisscom’s approach.

Contact for municipalities

Are you a public authority member with questions about network expansion in your municipality? Contact Swisscom, we will be happy to advise you.

Legal information

Unless otherwise specified, the speed data on this website indicates the download rate.

The status “expanded” means that the majority of the households are connected (homes and offices). Additional households may be connected at a later date.

Internet speeds within a municipality may vary due to different fibre-optic technologies or expansion areas.

Swisscom makes every effort to ensure that the availability check is correct. However, Swisscom cannot guarantee that the information provided about network expansion is up-to-date, correct or complete.

Communities as per: 1 January 2023