Swiss mobile communications market

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In Switzerland , three network operators have the license to operate a mobile network . They have a total of around 11.2 million mobile phone connections (end of 2018) and supply Switzerland almost everywhere with 2G / GSM , 3G / UMTS (> 99% population coverage ) and 4G / LTE (coverage with all three providers at least 97% each) . 5G was put into operation from 2019 .

Mobile operator in Switzerland

The three telecommunications companies Swisscom , Sunrise Communications and Salt Mobile offer nationwide and international products for private and business customers.

Swisscom

Swisscom logo
Name, headquarters Swisscom (Switzerland) AG , Ittigen
UID CHE ‑ 101.654.423
Parent company Swisscom (Switzerland) AG, Ittigen, Switzerland
Network code 228 - 01
Frequency bands used GSM : 900 MHz; UMTS : 900 MHz, 2100 MHz; LTE : 800 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2600 MHz
Name on display Swisscom
Cellular customers 6.429 million (Q1 2014)
Market share 54.9% (Q1 2015)
Shared use of the mobile network Provider: CoopMobile, Lycamobile, M-Budget Mobile, Mucho, SimplyMobile; UPC Mobile, Wingo,
Network technologies GPRS , EDGE , UMTS , HSPA up to 7.2 Mbit / s , HSPA + up to 42 Mbit / s, 4G / LTE up to 150 Mbit / s, 4G + / LTE-A up to 300 Mbit / s, UWB / 5G up to 1 Gbit / s
Allocated area code +41 79 and +41 75 (M-Budget Mobile: +41 77 4)
Coverage of the population > 99% with GSM / GPRS / EDGE,> 99% with UMTS / HSPA / HSPA +, 99% with LTE (as of May 2017)
Website https://www.swisscom.com/

Sunrise Communications

Logo Sunrise
Name, headquarters Sunrise Communications AG, Zurich
UID CHE ‑ 103.209.608
Parent company Privately owned by listing on the stock exchange; Minority stake through CVC Capital Partners , Luxembourg
Network code 228 - 02
Frequency bands used GSM : 900 MHz; UMTS : 900 MHz, 2100 MHz; LTE : 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2600 MHz
Name on display Sunrise
Cellular customers 3.269 million (Q1 2014)
Market share 26.9% (Q1 2015)
Shared use of the mobile network Provider: ALDI SUISSE mobile, FL1, Digitec Connect, Lebara mobile, ok.-mobile, Ortel Mobile, Quickline Mobile, TalkEasy Mobile, TalkTalkMobile, NET +, Yallo
Network technologies GPRS , EDGE , UMTS , HSPA up to 7.2 Mbit / s , HSPA + up to 42 Mbit / s, 4G / LTE up to 150 Mbit / s, 4G + / LTE-A up to 300 Mbit / s, 5G up to 1.3Gbit / s
Allocated area code +41 76 (formerly Tele2: +41 77 2)
Coverage of the population > 99% with GSM / GPRS / EDGE,> 99% with UMTS / HSPA / HSPA +, 98% with LTE (as of May 2017)
Website https://www.sunrise.ch/

Salt Mobile

Logo Salt
Name, headquarters Salt Mobile , Renens
UID CHE ‑ 106.836.776
Parent company Xavier Niel ( Iliad , F )
Network code 228 - 03
Frequency bands used GSM : 1800 MHz; UMTS : 900 MHz, 2100 MHz; LTE : 800 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2600 MHz
Name on display Salt (until April 2015 orange )
Cellular customers 2.147 million (Q1 2014)
Market share 18.2% (Q1 2015)
Shared use of the mobile network Provider: Lidl Connect
Network technologies GPRS , EDGE , UMTS , HSPA up to 7.2 Mbit / s , HSPA + up to 42 Mbit / s, 4G / LTE up to 150 Mbit / s, 4G + / LTE-A up to 300 Mbit / s
Allocated area code +41 78
Coverage of the population > 99% with GSM / GPRS / EDGE,> 99% with UMTS / HSPA / HSPA +, 98% with LTE (as of February 2018)
Website https://www.salt.ch/

History of cellular networks in Switzerland

In 1978 what was then PTT put the analog NATEL A network into operation. The NATEL B network followed in 1983 and the NATEL C network in 1987. In March 1993, Swiss Telecom was the first mobile operator in Switzerland to put its digital Natel D network into operation. For five and a half years it was the only mobile network in Switzerland; Compared to other countries, licenses were awarded to other providers very late. In 1997 the name of the parent company was changed to "Swisscom"; the mobile communications division was given the name “Swisscom Mobile” as an independent subsidiary. Since the merger of the subsidiaries with the parent company to form the new "Swisscom (Switzerland) AG" at the beginning of 2008, the company has appeared on the Swiss market as Swisscom.

In December 1998, diAx entered the Swiss market as the second mobile communications provider with low prices and innovative products. The competition for customers led to a first major slide in prices. Initially, however, the network only existed along highways and in urban areas. Thanks to the continuous expansion of the network, including in rural regions, diAx soon achieved better coverage, above all because the SBB network could be used as a backbone . After the merger with "sunrise" at the end of 2000, which was then only active in the fixed network, an agreement was reached on the new brand name sunrise, the official name of the company was "TDC Switzerland AG" (due to the participation of the Danish parent company TDC A / S ). As a result of the change in ownership, the name of the company has been "Sunrise Communications AG" since October 4, 2007, and the brand name Sunrise is capitalized.

Six months later, in June 1999, Orange started a major advertising campaign with its network. Initially, however, this only covered urban areas; in large parts of the country the network was not yet expanded. Thanks to national roaming with Swisscom, Orange had acceptable coverage in peripheral regions from the start, in contrast to Sunrise. Orange achieved independence in July 2003 and ended national roaming after more than four years.

On December 18, 2003, two new mobile phone providers, Tele2 and In & Phone, each received a license to operate a GSM mobile phone network. Both telecommunications companies put their networks into operation in the 1800 MHz band in June 2005. Tele2 initially concentrated on the city of Zurich with its “City Network”. During the following years, however, the mobile network was extended to other cities and agglomerations; In mid-2008 around half of the population was covered. In & Phone, on the other hand, focused exclusively on business customers and offered solutions in the form of a local campus network for indoor and outdoor supply of companies (premises).

On September 29, 2008, Sunrise announced the takeover of Tele2 Switzerland. After the approval of the Competition Commission (WEKO) on November 21, 2008, the Tele2 mobile network was switched off. The 491,000 customers and around 50 employees of the former mobile operator were taken over; the mobile phone license was returned. Tele2 then remained as a brand of Sunrise Communications AG until March 2010, after which no more products were sold. Some of the former Tele2 cellular systems could continue to be operated by Sunrise; the remaining locations (around 400) were sold to the network operator In & Phone in March 2010.

On November 25, 2009, Sunrise and Orange announced their intention to merge. The Danish TDC, whose subsidiary is Sunrise, toyed with the idea of ​​withdrawing from Switzerland. Orange, on the other hand, hoped to be able to save costs by merging the mobile phone networks.

In the 12/2009 issue of Connect magazine , the Swiss mobile networks were extensively tested for the first time in the “2009 Network Test”. Swisscom and Sunrise scored “very good”, with Sunrise even just outperforming the market leader Swisscom in data transmission. At Orange it was only enough for a “satisfactory”, which was probably mainly due to the fact that the GSM network had not yet been upgraded with EDGE. In addition, the UMTS network was less developed in terms of capacity and range than the competition.

At the end of April 2010, WEKO decided to prohibit the merger between Sunrise and Orange. The companies concerned initially planned to appeal against this decision, but this was withdrawn after a few weeks. Both mobile phone providers affirmed that they wanted to continue on their own. In the months that followed, Orange announced that it would launch new offers and invest heavily in network expansion over the next two years. In particular, the UMTS capacity was to be increased and the GSM network was to be upgraded with EDGE as part of a complete renovation. Sunrise has also announced infrastructure investments of around CHF 1 billion for the next five years. Above all, the network capacity is to be increased by further upgrading with HSPA +.

In the network test 2010 by the magazine Connect, the mobile networks were tested again and compared with one another. Swisscom again scored “Very Good”, Sunrise achieved “Good”, Orange only “Sufficient”. A year later, in the 2011 network test , the ranking changed. Orange, which was last placed so far, improved significantly and was rated “Good”. Swisscom again achieved a “very good” rating, and Sunrise had to be satisfied with third place and “satisfactory” for the first time. In the following year, all three network operators were able to improve; The ranking and evaluation remained unchanged in the 2012 network test .

In February 2012, all existing and new mobile radio frequencies were re-allocated in a unique auction. The four companies Swisscom, Sunrise, Orange and In & Phone had applied to participate, although the latter did not meet the admission requirements and was therefore not admitted to the auction. The income for the federal government amounted to around CHF 996 million. Since the licenses were granted on a technology-neutral basis, the frequency bands can be used for various technologies ( GSM , UMTS , LTE ).

The mobile network operators have bought the following bandwidths:

Frequency band Swisscom Sunrise Salt
800 MHz 20 MHz 20 MHz 20 MHz
900 MHz 30 MHz 30 MHz 10 MHz
1800 MHz 60 MHz 40 MHz 50 MHz
2100 MHz FDD : 60 MHz
TDD : 0		 FDD: 20 MHz
TDD: 0		 FDD: 40 MHz
TDD: 0
2600 MHz FDD: 40 MHz
TDD: 45 MHz		 FDD: 50 MHz
TDD: 0		 FDD: 40 MHz
TDD: 0

After Swisscom first switched on an LTE test network in September 2010 and launched a pilot project in various winter sports areas at the end of 2011, Switzerland's first LTE network went into commercial operation on November 29, 2012. On May 28, 2013 Orange started as the second mobile network operator; Sunrise followed on June 19, 2013. At the end of 2013, the license of the former fourth network operator in & phone for the operation of a GSM cellular network expired.

In the 2013 mobile network test , the three Swiss mobile networks were tested again and compared with one another. Swisscom achieved “Very Good” for the fifth time in a row. Sunrise was able to improve considerably and achieved second place again with a “good”. The third-placed orange also received a “good” rating. A year later in the 2014 mobile network test , all three providers improved and, with unchanged rankings, achieved the rating “very good” for the first time. In an international comparison, the Swiss mobile networks offer a very good performance.

On April 23, 2015, Orange changed its name to Salt. In this way, license fees to Orange SA , which is no longer the owner of Orange Switzerland, can be avoided.

Number of cell phone connections and market shares

Cellular connections and market shares:

Mobile connections in Switzerland (number in 1,000, as of December 31, 2017)
year
'98
'99
'00
'01
'02
'03
'04
'05
'06
'07
'08
'09
'10
'11
'12
'13
'14
'15
'16
'17
'18
Swisscom 1,670 2,255 2,970 3,370 3,605 3,792 3,908 4,280 4,632 5,007 5'370 5,602 5,828 6,049 6'217 6,407 6'460 6'555 6,612 6,637 6,551
Sunrise 0 430 675 944 1,134 1,260 1'190 1,267 1,361 1'524 1,770 1,860 2,015 2'116 2'142 2,491 3,253 3,211 2,967 2,876 2,797
Salt 0 250 770 925 963 1,085 1,137 1,249 1,395 1,509 1,542 1'565 1'571 1,614 1,669 1,659 2,180 2,167 1,872 1'906 1,883
Total
1,670
2,935
4,415
5'239
5,702
6,137
6'235
6,796
7,388
8,040
8,683
9,027
9'414
9,779
10'028
10,554
11,893
11,933
11,451
11'419
11'230
Market shares in mobile communications in Switzerland (in%, as of December 31, 2017)
year
'98
'99
'00
'01
'02
'03
'04
'05
'06
'07
'08
'09
'10
'11
'12
'13
'14
'15
'16
'17
'18
Swisscom 100% 76.8% 67.3% 64.3% 63.2% 61.8% 62.7% 63.0% 62.7% 62.3% 61.9% 62.1% 61.9% 61.9% 62.0% 60.7% 54.3% 54.9% 57.7% 58.1% 58.3%
Sunrise 0% 14.7% 15.3% 18.0% 19.9% 20.5% 19.1% 18.6% 18.4% 19.0% 20.4% 20.6% 21.4% 21.6% 21.4% 23.6% 27.4% 26.9% 25.9% 25.2% 24.9%
Salt 0% 8.5% 17.4% 17.7% 16.9% 17.7% 18.2% 18.4% 18.9% 18.8% 17.8% 17.3% 16.7% 16.5% 16.6% 15.7% 18.3% 18.2% 16.4% 16.7% 16.8%
Total
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%

Service provider

Service providers (also known as the generic term MVNO ) are companies that do not have their own network infrastructure or mobile radio license and therefore acquire network usage rights from a network operator. They then sell these on to their customers using their own products and services. The following service providers are currently active on the Swiss mobile communications market:

Brand name Enterprise Cellular network prefix Model Customer segment
abamobile Abalon Telecom, Cham Salt 078 Business customers
ALDI SUISSE mobile Aldi Suisse , Schwarzenbach Sunrise 076 Branded reseller Private customers
Coop Mobile Coop , Basel

Swisscom

078 Private customers
The subscription Salt Mobile Salt 078 Private customers
Digitec Connect Digitec Galaxus , Zurich Sunrise 076 MVNO Private customers
Höfner Mobile EW yards Sunrise 077 MVNE Private and business customers
FL1 Telecom Liechtenstein Sunrise 077 MVNO Private and business customers
FLEXmobil Circumflex , cham Salt 078 Business customers
Lebara Mobile YOL Communications (Sunrise subsidiary) Sunrise 076 Branded reseller Private customers
Lidl Connect Lidl Switzerland Salt 078 Private customers
Lycamobile Lycamobile, Zurich Swisscom 0779 Private customers
M-Budget Mobile Federation of Migros Cooperatives , Zurich Swisscom 0774 Private customers
broadband.ch ImproWare, Pratteln Sunrise 077 MVNE Private customers
Thurcom Technical operations, Wil SG Sunrise 077 MVNE Private customers
YplaY GIB-Solutions, Uitikon Sunrise 077 MVNE Private customers
Mucho Beeone Communications, Lancy Swisscom 0775 Private customers
Leucom Leucom, Frauenfeld Sunrise 077 MVNE Private customers
net + net + Sunrise 077 MVNO Private and business customers
ok - mobile Valora , Muttenz (collaboration with TalkEasy) Sunrise 077 MVNO Private customers
Quickline Mobile Quickline, Nidau Sunrise 076 MVNO Private and business customers
Sasag sasag cable communication, Schaffhausen Sunrise 077 MVNE Private and business customers
Rii Seez Net Rii Seez Net 9471 Box Sunrise 077 MVNE Private and business customers
SimplyMobile Swisscom Swisscom 079 Private customers
TalkEasy TalkEasy Sunrise 077 MVNO Private customers
TalkTalk Mobile TalkTalk, train Sunrise 076 MVNO Private customers
UPC UPC Switzerland Swisscom 078 FULL MVNO Private customers
VTX Mobile VTX Services Salt 078 Private customers and B2B
Wingo Mobile Swisscom, Bern Swisscom 079 Private customers
yallo YOL Communications (Sunirse subsidiary) Sunrise 076 Branded reseller Private customers
Digital Republic Digital Republic Swisscom and Sunrise 077 MVNO Private and business customers
Ticinocom Mobile Ticinocom Sunrise 077 MVNE Private and business customers
seabix Seabix AG Sunrise 077 MVNE Private and business customers

The following service providers no longer offer offers for new customers:

Brand name Enterprise Cellular network prefix Customer segment
20 minutes mobile 20 minutes , Zurich Sunrise 077 Private customers
mobilezone net Mobilezone , Regensdorf Salt 078 Private customers
ERA ERA Sunrise 076 Private customers
Ortel Mobile YOL Communications (Sunrise subsidiary) Sunrise 076 Private customers

Service Provider History

Before 2005, service providers only played a subordinate role in Switzerland. In 2005 there was a real provider boom in Switzerland. On May 15, 2005, yallo was the first provider to enter the mobile communications market. Sunrise's sister company initially only marketed its product online; however, it is now also accessible offline. Today, like Sunrise, yallo is a brand of Sunrise Communications AG.

The entry of the two largest Swiss retail companies Coop and Migros into the mobile communications market triggered a price war between the two new providers when the tariffs were announced on September 12, 2005. The minute prices of M-Budget Mobile and CoopMobile were mutually undercut within a few hours.

On December 16, 2005, Cablecom, in cooperation with Sunrise, launched its prepaid offer cablecom mobile with prices per minute that were up to 20% lower than the existing prepaid tariffs. Cablecom's entry triggered the biggest price war to date between the providers. In several rounds, all providers lowered their minute prices and undercut each other. As a result, the prepaid minute rate for all providers fell below 40 cents for the first time. In the meantime, however, Cablecom's offer is no longer available for new customers.

In December 2005, abalon telecom launched abamobile as the first provider exclusively for business customers. On January 16, 2006 mobilezone net (no longer available) followed for the first time with postpaid offers.

In June 2006, yallo introduced an international standard tariff of 39 cents per minute; In addition, the tariff for internal network calls has been reduced to 5 cents per minute.

TalkTalkMobile started on the Sunrise network in October 2006. TalkTalkMobile is the first Swiss provider to offer its customers free calls in Austria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland from the landline or mobile network to the landline or mobile network. Initially, however, the prerequisite for this was a landline connection with TalkTalk.

In February 2007, Lebara Mobile, another provider, entered the mobile communications market. The provider, which is also active in six other European countries, uses the Sunrise mobile network and focuses with its product on customers who call abroad. For example, you can make calls to Western European landlines for as little as 5 cents per minute.

In November 2007, the German supermarket chain Aldi also launched a product called Aldi Suisse Mobile. This provider also uses the Sunrise mobile network. The tariff of 14 cents is very cheap, but only applies to your own network and landline. Otherwise there is 34 cents.

In October 2010, 20 Minuten introduced the 20 Minuten Mobile offer. The provider uses the Sunrise mobile network and has prepaid and subscription offers. The minute rate is 20 cents, plus a 20 cents connection fee per call. The 20 Minuten Mobile mobile phone tariff launched by the newspaper publisher Tamedia together with Sunrise will be discontinued after eight months.

On December 6, 2010, the kiosk operator Valora launched the ok.- mobile offer together with Orange. The unit price is 22 cents in all networks.

In August 2010 Finecom Telecommunications AG introduced the Quickline Mobil postpaid mobile service, which enables free calls between family members and the Quickline landline connection.

On July 1, 2013 TalkTalk Telecom and mobilezone com merged to form TalkTalk AG, from which TalkTalk products will continue to be offered.

On July 11, 2013, Sunrise announced the takeover of Lebara GmbH. According to a press release, Lebara will continue to operate as a separate company and the Lebara Mobile brand name will remain.

On July 29, 2013, Sunrise announced the takeover of Treternity Ortel Mobile AG. According to a press release, Ortel will continue to operate as a separate company and the Ortel Mobile brand name will remain.

See also

Remarks

  1. ↑ Roger Braun: The new 5G cellular standard could erode fiber optics. In: luzernerzeitung.ch . January 27, 2019, accessed May 30, 2019 .
  2. ↑ a b c d e Network code assigned by the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) that is assigned by the mobile network operators or service providers when new numbers are activated. Due to number portability, since May 1, 2000, the area code can no longer be clearly assigned to a provider.
  3. ↑ 075 - second mobile area code from Swisscom | Swisscom. Retrieved August 13, 2018 .
  4. ↑ Swisscom mobile broadband network: HD Voice, LTE, UMTS, 4G. Retrieved May 18, 2017 .
  5. ↑ 4G LTE network coverage - mobile network - Sunrise. Retrieved May 18, 2017 .
  6. ↑ January network update. (PDF) Salt, January 6, 2018, accessed January 6, 2018 .
  7. ↑ This is what the first mobile phone looked like ( memento of the original from October 14, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Radio DRS.ch accessed on October 16, 2010 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / drs.srf.ch
  8. ↑ Connect network test 2014 , accessed on February 8, 2015
  9. ↑ Federal Communications Commission ComCom: Mart shares of mobile operator. Retrieved August 13, 2018 .
  10. ^ Swiss IT Media GmbH: Swiss IT Magazine - Coop Mobile changes from Salt to Swisscom. Retrieved March 9, 2019 .
  11. ↑ ok.– | FAQ. Retrieved May 6, 2017 .
  12. ↑ homepage Sasag
  13. ^ Homepage of Rii Seez Net
  14. ↑ TalkTalk was launched in 2004 by The Phone House SA, operated from 2008 by TalkTalk Telecom GmbH, Zug, after The Carphone Warehouse Group had sold the Phone House chain to Swisscom on May 1, 2008. TalkTalk was bought by mobilezone com ag on April 1, 2013; both companies merged on July 1, 2013 to form TalkTalk AG, Zug
  15. ^ Swiss IT Media GmbH: Swiss IT Magazine - UPC Mobile conversion to Swisscom network completed. Retrieved March 9, 2019 .

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