Swisscom in the political arena

As the leading ICT company in Switzerland, we maintain a constant dialogue with the public. We provide transparent and factual information about our political, economic and social interests.

Topics & positions

Gigabit strategy of the confederation

On 14 March 2025, the Federal Council launched a consultation(opens in new tab) on the Broadband Promotion Act (Gigabit Strategy). 

This aims to provide access to modern high-speed internet throughout Switzerland by regulating the expansion of gigabit networks in areas where it is not in the market players’ interest to invest. 

The funding will primarily go towards expanding fibre-optic networks. In cases where the costs for installing fibre would be disproportionately high, wireless technologies (mobile technology in the first instance) are also possible.

Policy paper

Extension optical fibre network access regulation

A motion (25.3023) was submitted by the Telecommunications Committee of the Swiss Council of States (KVF S) to give the Federal Communications Commission (ComCom) additional powers to intervene in the fibre-optic segment; specifically, to have the power to regulate prices and network access modalities.

The rationale behind the request is that ComCom cannot currently intervene in the event of a dispute or if an operator does not want to expand the broadband network.

Policy paper

Mobile communications and 5G

5G makes the mobile network faster, more reliableand more powerful than ever before. This opens up newopportunities: for living together. For the economyand for Switzerland. But 5G has also arousedalso aroused fears among parts of the population. So what exactly is it about exactly and what is Swisscom's position?

5G and NIS Ordinances

Passende Lösungen für 1 bis 100 Mitarbeitende

Kommunikations- und IT-Lösungen ab 100 Mitarbeitenden

Kommunikations- und IT-Lösungen ab 100 Mitarbeitenden

Passende Lösungen für Startup und neu gegründete Unternehmen

Facts and figures

Myth versus reality

Fact check: five common statements about Swisscom

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Myth:
«Swisscom is a state-owned enterprise.»

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Reality:
Swisscom is a private-sector, listed company.
  At the end of the 1990s, the PTT (Post, Telegraph and Telephone Administration) was dissolved and split up into Swiss Post (an independent federal institution under public law) and Swisscom. The new company, Swisscom, was established as a listed limited liability company, and the Swiss Confederation retained 51% of the shares. The remaining 49% of the shares are currently held by approximately 80,000 private and institutional investors, including pension funds. Thus, Swisscom is not a state-owned enterprise, but a private-sector company whose majority shareholder is the Swiss government.

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Myth:
«Swisscom is subsidised by the state.»

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Reality:
Swisscom receives no state subsidies and, in fact, pays out an annual dividend to the government.
 

Swisscom receives no state subsidies. It generates an annual profit from its activities on the open market, and the shareholders benefit from this. Because the government owns 51% of the shares, it receives annual dividends of more than CHF 500 million from Swisscom. Since the initial public offering, the government has received CHF 24.6 billion; approximately equivalent to the cost of the New Transalpine Rail Link (NEAT) infrastructure project.

*Figures correct as of 2025; includes payout for the 2024 financial year

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Myth:
«Swisscom has a monopoly on the market.»

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Reality:
The Swiss telecommunications market is completely deregulated and open.
  The Swiss telecommunications market is completely deregulated. No part of the market is protected by the state or monopolised by Swisscom or its services. In many areas, the competitive environment, consisting of many national and international providers, has driven prices down and service quality up.

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Myth:
«Swisscom is protected by the state, which skews the competition.»

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Reality:
No Swisscom areas of activity are state protected.
 

Swisscom operates in open markets and has no competitive advantage because of the government’s majority holding. There are no restrictions on service provision by either Switzerland-based or international companies. The Swiss telecommunications market is also overseen by the Federal Communications Commission (ComCom), the independent licensing and regulatory authority for the telecommunications sector.

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Myth:
«Swisscom is growing in Italy and turning its back on Switzerland.»

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Reality:
The acquisition of Vodafone Italia strengthens the entire group. Swisscom’s focus remains on the domestic Swiss market.
  Swisscom’s Italian subsidiary Fastweb has made a significant contribution to the overall success of the Swisscom Group for almost 20 years. Today, Swisscom is the leading ICT company in Switzerland and a strong number 2 in Italy with its subsidiary Fastweb + Vodafone. The acquisition of Vodafone was a commercial decision and strengthens the enterprise value of Swisscom as a whole. Switzerland will always be the home and heart of Swisscom.

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