Network strategy
Swisscom is resolutely pursuing the fibre-optic rollout, heralding the end of the copper access network. By the end of 2025, the fibre-optic network will cover 57% of the population, with coverage set to increase to between 75% and 80% by the end of 2030. At the same time, the copper access network will be gradually taken out of service. Swisscom CTIO, Gerd Niehage, answers some of the crucial questions about the revised network strategy.
By the end of 2025, we want to expand our fibre-optic coverage to 57%1 of the population and to between 75% and 80% by the end of 2030. We also want to expand 5G+ coverage to 90% of the population by the end of 2025. This means that almost all of Switzerland’s municipalities will benefit from the latest fibre and 5G network technologies by 2030. Over the coming years, this will allow us to gradually phase out the 150-year-old copper access network. Beyond 2030, we will then complete the fibre-optic network in all municipalities, which will enable us to fully retire the copper access network and make energy savings roughly equivalent to the annual energy consumption of a Swiss town of 20,000 inhabitants.
The high investment and continual expansion are also beneficial to all other Swiss telecommunications providers who can use the Swisscom fibre-optic network for their own services on non-discriminatory terms of access.
Our current position is that we would like to connect almost all permanently inhabited households and businesses. This will leave just a small number for whom connection is not economically viable. In these cases, we will deploy alternative network technologies, such as a mobile or satellite connection, to provide fixed Internet access.
We will be phasing out the copper network successively by regional access networks for municipalities or parts thereof. Initially, this will only be carried out in locations where fibre is already available.
Transparent communication and providing sufficient notice are very important to us. We are making this promise both to our residential and business customers, and to our wholesale partners who use the Swisscom network for their products.
For anyone whose telecommunications services are already provided over the fibre-optic network, whether by Swisscom or a different telecommunications provider using the Swisscom network, no action is required. We recommend that anyone who can already use the fibre-optic network at their location, but still obtains their products via the copper access network, switches to fibre as soon as possible, even if retirement of the copper access network is not yet imminent. We advise consulting with your telecommunications service provider. Most providers allow you to check the availability of fibre online. For Swisscom, this can be done online at www.swisscom.ch/checker.
Generally speaking, existing Swisscom subscriptions can be transferred to the fibre-optic network without any changes. If the customer does not have a fibre-compatible router, we will identify this when they switch and provide an appropriate router. Switching is free of charge. This applies to replacement routers as well as the installation of a fibre-optic socket, as long as one has not already been installed.
Additional costs will only arise if customers who are switching choose to add optional services or products to which they are not already subscribed. Any additional costs will of course be disclosed transparently to the customer before the contract is concluded.
1Built optical fibre connections