Swiss Fiber Optic: Check Home Internet Coverage at Your Address
3 THINGS TO KNOW:
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Home Internet Coverage: Verify coverage at your address
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Swiss Fiber Extension: Discover the communities where the service is already available
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Fiber Subscriptions: Find the best offers and activate them to save
Not sure about the speed you can get at your address? Verify internet coverage with the tool from internet-offer.ch, uncover the network status in your residential community, and find the best internet offer in your area.
Verify internet coverage at your address in 3 steps:
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Select the provider you want to check coverage for at your residence
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Enter your address on the page that will open, managed by our partner
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Discover the available technology and activate the best offer right away to save
Remember: whether it's copper, cable, or fiber-optic connection, internet speed mainly depends on the type of internet connection technology. Fiber optics provide the highest available speed, followed by cable, and then copper DSL. It's always advisable to check which internet connection is available at your address so you can consciously choose which technology to activate, considering the trade-off between price and speed.
How to check internet coverage in my area?
Are you changing your home and want to know the status of broadband network coverage in your area and which operator can provide the best service? Checking the functionality of your internet connection has never been easier: all major Swiss providers offer their own fiber optic coverage verification tool. However, if you don't want to connect to each individual provider's official website, you can rely on internet-offer.ch and discover the best subscription for your address among the various available offers with just a few clicks.
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All you have to do is select the subscription that suits you best from the provided comparisons, go to the partner's website with a click, and start verifying the internet coverage for your home using the appropriate button. In no time, you will know the maximum achievable download speed, the best available internet technology in your area, and whether it is suitable for activities such as browsing, streaming, online gaming, and more.
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At this point, all you have to do is compare the internet offers in Switzerland provided by internet-offer.ch and proceed with the contract signing.
Swiss Fiber: Who Manages this Technology?
Swisscom, in partnership with several local energy companies, is investing in the expansion of fiber-optic technology, allocating an annual budget of 1.6 billion Swiss francs to achieve a population coverage of 55% in FTTH by 2025. Swisscom has selected 4 network partners:
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Cablex: A subsidiary fully owned by Swisscom, with around 2,500 employees specializing in ICT and Smart Cities projects.
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Axians: With over 1,000 specialists engaged in planning, designing, and constructing telecommunications infrastructure, Axians operates proficiently in over 20 Swiss locations.
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Circet AG: A part of the Circet Group, with a decade of experience in Europe, Circet AG has been operating in Switzerland since 2020 and has successfully connected 1.8 million households in 2021.
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Multinet Communication: As a long-term partner of Swisscom's Network Operation Center (NOC) for more than 10 years, Multinet Communication plays a pivotal role in the design and management of fiber-optic networks.
In addition to Swisscom's efforts, the capabilities of Swiss Fiber Net AG (SFN) and Swiss4Net in entering a quasi-monopolistic market to stimulate competition and accelerate the development of FTTH/B Fiber Optics should be noted.
SFN is a joint venture of various local energy supply companies that resell local fiber-optic networks to service providers without their own access networks (e.g., Sunrise, Salt, VTX, iWay, SAK) through a unified national platform.
On the other hand, Swiss4Net is investing in building and managing P2P local fiber-optic networks in some communities, negotiating long-term pipe rental agreements to sublease the infrastructure to other service operators like Sunrise, Salt, TicinoCom, Yallo, Init7, and Colt. Currently, Swiss4net operates networks in 8 locations, including Chiasso, Baden, Ascona, Pully, and Wettingen.
What internet connection speed do I need?
Usually, it is not necessary to have the maximum power. When deciding to subscribe to an internet plan, the question arises: what do I actually need? The higher the speed included in a subscription, the higher the costs. With the internet-offer.ch internet subscription comparison, you can identify the best available offer on the market and save money.
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To understand the right connection speed for you, various factors need to be considered, such as:
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The number of users simultaneously accessing the network at home
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The type of internet usage
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The distance between the modem and devices
What internet speed do I need?
Generally, the following connection speeds are recommended:
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20 Mbps to 50 Mbps: normal browsing, streaming in standard quality (Netflix, Youtube, etc.)
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50 Mbps to 100 Mbps: in case of longer distances between the modem and devices, use of repeaters, and multiple simultaneous users
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100 Mbps to 1 Gbps: multiple users engaging in high-bandwidth activities like video conferences, streaming in high quality (e.g., UHD resolution), online gaming
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Over 500 Mbps: Suitable for demanding applications such as 4K streaming, virtual reality and the simultaneous operation of many devices in the network.
Your connection speed
Once your new internet line is activated, you can verify the actual browsing speed by conducting a Speed Test to ensure it meets the expectations set in the contract with the provider.
Fiber Coverage: What are the Speeds in Swiss Communities?
The deployment of fiber-optic technology in Switzerland is slightly behind other OECD member states, but it is rapidly catching up. As of today, so-called broadband internet coverage is available to 49.9% of the population, but only 28% of these have access to fiber optics.
Fiber-optic expansion is happening rapidly, especially in densely populated urban centers. Here are the maximum available speeds currently in Swiss communities according to the latest data shared by Swisscom:
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Geneva: 10 Gbit/s
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Fribourg: 10 Gbit/s
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Bern: 10 Gbit/s from 2025
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Biel: 200 Mbit/s
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Neuchâtel: 200 Mbit/s
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Thun: 200 Mbit/s
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Lucerne: 10 Gbit/s
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Zug: 10 Gbit/s
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Zurich: 10 Gbit/s
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Basel: 10 Gbit/s
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St. Gallen: 10 Gbit/s
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Lugano: 10 Gbit/s
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Chiasso: 200 Mbit/s
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Lausanne: 10 Gbit/s
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Winterthur: 10 Gbit/s
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Bellinzona: 10 Gbit/s from 2024
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Sion: 10 Gbit/s
To instantly discover the internet coverage available at your address, follow the 3 simple steps recommended by internet-offer.ch and activate a new broadband connection to start surfing faster and saving!
Where to Find Coverage Verification Information?
No need to go through numerous lengthy and annoying phone calls. The solution to this uncertainty is much simpler than expected, as each provider offers specific services for verification. All home internet operators have a dedicated section on their official website for coverage verification.
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All you have to do is visit the company's official website and use the search bar to enter your telephone number or, if you don't have a landline, the municipality and street of interest. In a matter of seconds, this convenient and effective tool will provide confirmation of the availability or unavailability of the chosen operator's services.
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However, it is important to note that the coverage verification for fiber optics may not detect certain technical issues that could still affect the proper functioning of the connection. The absence of an internet connection may be due to various factors that can depend on the modem, router, or even the computer itself.
Which Internet Provider Has the Most Coverage in Switzerland?
Switzerland boasts highly developed broadband infrastructures, and as of June 2022, nearly half of the population has access to ultra-fast internet connections. However, despite this progress, only a quarter of broadband subscriptions utilize fiber-optic technology.
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One way to gauge the reliability of an internet service provider is to examine their market share, as it demonstrates how many other customers have entrusted their services. Here is how internet access is distributed among the main internet companies according to ComCom's 2022 findings:
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Swisscom: 48%
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Sunrise: 28%
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Salt: 4%
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Quickline: 4%
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Other operators: 16%
How to Verify Swisscom Fiber Coverage?
Swisscom is the internet provider with the most extensive fiber optic network in Switzerland. With the internet-offer.ch coverage verification tool, you can find out if your home is covered by the Swisscom network and what is the maximum achievable speed for your internet connection.
As of June 2023, 2065 municipalities are covered by ultra-fast internet, while work has begun or is planned for another 71 municipalities.
How to Verify Sunrise Fiber Coverage?
The Sunrise network combines the existing infrastructures of Sunrise and those developed by UPC, offering a diverse range of options. Verify coverage in your area, compare home internet offers on internet-offer.ch, and find the most suitable solution for you.
How to Verify Salt Fiber Coverage?
If you want to activate internet at home with Salt, discover the coverage status in your city by entering your address, including the ZIP code and street number, in the coverage verification tool. Then compare the available Salt offers and choose the one with the most suitable advantageous features and rates for your browsing needs.
How to Verify Quickline Fiber Coverage?
To find out which Quickline technology reaches your home, you can compare home internet offers, select the ADSL or fiber plans that interest you, and request online feasibility of the rates. By doing so, you will be contacted by an operator who will confirm the internet coverage for that offer at your residential address.
How to Verify Coverage for Other Operators?
FAQ on Internet Coverage Check
When is it advisable to perform coverage verification?
It's always important to check which operators and internet speeds are available in your new home before moving. But even if you're not changing homes, it's still recommended to verify your connection, especially if you're considering changing your subscription. This way, you can get an idea of the best current offers and find the most cost-effective one.
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What's the difference between copper, cable, and fiber optic?
Copper, cable, and fiber optic are three types of transmission media used for data and signal communication.
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Copper: Copper is a metallic conductor used to transport electrical signals. It has been widely used for data transmission in telephone networks and traditional computer networks. Copper cables consist of twisted copper wires bundled together. Electrical signals are sent through copper cables using electrical pulses that travel along the copper wires. Copper is less expensive than fiber optic, but it has limited transmission capacity and can be susceptible to electromagnetic interference.
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Cable: The term "cable" can refer to various transmission technologies, but generally, it refers to a type of network connection where signals are transmitted through either metallic cables or fiber optic. Metallic cables can be made of copper or other conductive materials. Metallic cables transmit electrical signals through electrical pulses, while fiber optic cables use light to transmit signals. Fiber optic cables can provide higher bandwidth and faster transmission speeds compared to copper cables.
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Fiber Optic: Fiber optic is a data transmission method that uses thin strands of transparent glass or plastic to carry light signals. Signals are sent through fiber optic cables using light pulses. Fiber optic offers higher bandwidth and faster transmission speeds compared to copper and metallic cables. Additionally, it is less susceptible to electromagnetic interference and can transmit signals over longer distances without significant signal loss. However, fiber optic installation can be more expensive compared to copper or metallic cables.
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In summary, copper is an electrical conductor used to transmit electrical signals, while fiber optic uses transparent glass or plastic filaments to transmit light signals. Cables can be made of either copper or fiber optic, but fiber optic offers higher bandwidth, faster transmission speeds, and greater resistance to electromagnetic interference compared to copper.
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What's the difference between upload speed and download speed?
Upload and download speeds are generally expressed in units of measurement such as megabits per second (Mbps) or gigabits per second (Gbps). Upload and download speeds can vary depending on the type of network connection used, such as wired connections (such as DSL or cable) or wireless connections (such as Wi-Fi or 4G/5G), as well as the subscription plan from the Internet Service Provider (ISP). In many cases, the download speed is higher than the upload speed because most user activities require a greater amount of incoming data compared to outgoing data.
Usually, offers emphasize download speed more, as it is more important for users, but upload speed must be expressed in contracts as well.
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Author: Lapo Zarina
Published: June 2023 | Last updated: January 2024
Sources: Wikipedia (Swiss fibre optics page, Swiss Internet page, fibre optics page), ComCom, operator websites mentioned | Images: Wix, ComCom, Swisscom fibre coverage page