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The Expat Guide to Swiss Mobile Plans

October 11, 2023 - Ralf Beyeler

Are you new to Switzerland or will you be moving to Switzerland soon? Get all the most important information about using Swiss mobile plans in this moneyland.ch guide.

There are a number of differences between the Swiss mobile service market and those of other countries. Getting informed about the idiosyncrasies of Swiss mobile plans when you move to Switzerland is worth the time.

Do I even need a Swiss mobile service contract?

Getting a mobile plan or prepaid mobile service from a Swiss telecom company generally makes sense.

Theoretically, you do not necessarily have to get a Swiss phone number when you move to Switzerland. But it can be beneficial if the phone number you give to Swiss employers, landlords, government offices, and associations is a Swiss number. Having a Swiss phone number is also beneficial if you have social contacts in Switzerland whom you communicate with.
You may be able to keep your foreign mobile service after moving to Switzerland, if the telecom service provider allows this. Just contact customer service and ask. If you do choose to continue using your non-Swiss mobile service contract in Switzerland, make sure that it includes roaming allowances for Switzerland. The advantage of keeping your existing contract is that you do not lose your phone number. But you need to consider all possible costs. In most cases, using a foreign number in Switzerland is an expensive option.
When you get a new mobile contract with a Swiss telecom service provider, you get a new, Swiss phone number. But depending on your existing, foreign telecom provider, you may have the option of converting your mobile plan to a prepaid SIM. You can then keep your existing phone number as a secondary number so that people can continue to contact you.

Can I continue to use my phone after moving to Switzerland?

You will normally not have any issues with using your phone in Switzerland or with adding a Swiss SIM to your existing phone. Phones which are sold in other European countries will generally work in Switzerland. If you bought your phone outside of Europe, you should check whether your phone supports the required radio frequency bands. You can find this information in the user manual. Swiss mobile service providers primarily use band 1, band 3, band 7, band 8, band 20, band 28, and band 78 for 4G (LTE) and 5G connections. As a general rule, the more bands your phone supports, the better your connectivity will be.

You may also encounter problems if you use budget smartphones or older phones – especially devices which only support GSM or GSM and 3G (UMTS).

Check whether your phone supports Vo-LTE. If it does not, your ability to make mobile phone calls in Switzerland will be very limited. This issue primarily applies to old devices and very cheap phones.

Tip: Use a phone which supports 4G (LTE) and VO-LTE. This will ensure that you get good reception right across Switzerland.

Which mobile phone networks are there in Switzerland?

Swiss mobile networks are very developed. Three different telecom companies – Salt, Sunrise, and Swisscom – each maintain their own independent mobile service networks. The Sunrise and Swisscom networks have performed best in independent tests. Swiss mobile telecom networks are among the best in the world.

How many mobile service providers are there in Switzerland?

Salt, Sunrise, and Swisscom offer mobile plans and prepaid mobile under their main brands. But they also operate numerous subsidiaries and secondary brands, each of which have their own offers.

In many cases, offers from secondary brands are much more attractive than the products offered directly by Salt, Sunrise, and Swisscom. These are the subsidiaries of the three big Swiss telecom companies.

Salt: Das Abo, Gomo, Lidl Connect
Sunrise: Aldi Suisse Mobile, Swype, Lebara, Yallo
Swisscom: Coop Mobile, M-Budget Mobile, Wingo

There are also independent Swiss telecom companies which are not owned by the bit network operators, but simply pay rent for the use of telecom networks. These include Digital Republic, Galaxus Mobile, Mucho Mobile, and Talktalk.

For you as a mobile user, it makes no real difference whether a mobile service is provided by a network operator, a subsidiary, or an independent company. They all use the infrastructure of one of the three network operators. Only the costs, conditions, and services included in a contract are important when choosing a mobile service provider.

Which kinds of mobile networks are used in Switzerland?

The following technologies are used by Swiss mobile networks:

5G: Currently the most modern network standard, the Swiss 5G network is well developed, with 5G coverage in most of the country.
4G (LTE): The 4G network in Switzerland is well established, and is likely the most extensive mobile network in the country.
3G (UMTS): Many regions in Switzerland still have acceptable 3G coverage. But 3G coverage is declining as telecom companies have shifted their focus to putting up 4G and 5G antennas. The end of 3G in Switzerland is already on the horizon, with Swisscom having stated that it will phase out its 3G network completely by the end of 2025.
GSM: This standard which was introduced 30 years ago is no longer important in Switzerland.

Do network shutdowns occur in Switzerland?

As in many other countries, the shutting down of mobile networks does happen in Switzerland. Because telecom companies want to use the limited available frequencies efficiently, they occasionally phase out networks with outdated technology.

But although networks are phased out in other countries as well, there are differences with regards to which mobile networks are shut down. In Germany, for example, 3G networks have been completely switched off, but GSM coverage is still active. In Switzerland, the exact opposite is true.

Mobile plan or prepaid SIM?

As a newcomer with no Swiss credit record, you may experience difficulties obtaining a postpaid mobile plan. Some Swiss mobile service providers do accept new residents, but only if you put down a deposit to guarantee payment of your phone bills. If one telecom company denies you a mobile plan, it can be worth trying a different company. Alternatively, you can wait until a later date and then apply for a Swiss mobile plan once you have lived in Switzerland for some time. In order to get a Swiss SIM, you must provide identification in the form of a passport, ID card, or a Swiss residence permit.

Getting Swiss prepaid mobile as a newcomer, on the other hand, is easy. You can even obtain a Swiss prepaid SIM ahead of your move. All you need in order to get Swiss prepaid SIMs is a valid ID. Unlike getting prepaid SIMs in some other countries, you do not need to set up a direct debit with your bank, present a social security number, or provide proof of residence. There are a number of Swiss prepaid mobile services which offer good value for money.

Whether a plan or prepaid is the best solution is best for you depends on your specific telecom needs, so comparing offers is worth it. The mobile plan comparison on moneyland.ch includes both mobile plan and prepaid mobile offers. The comprehensive and precise comparison also accounts for optional bundles, international calls, and mobile roaming in other countries.

What are the differences between Switzerland and other countries?

Depending on the country you are moving from, there can be many differences affecting various aspects of mobile service contracts and prepaid mobile. These are the most important possible differences:

Billing: In some countries, paying telephone bills by check is very popular. In Germany and some other countries, setting up direct debit orders for phone bills is common, while charging credit cards is the go-to means of paying telephone bills in certain other countries. In Switzerland, on the other hand, mobile service providers typically send you monthly invoices accompanied by deposit slips. Some Swiss telecom companies give you the option of paying by credit card, and some offer billing by direct debit order.
Legal contracts: In many countries, minimum contract terms of 24 months are the standard. In Switzerland, many telecom companies offer mobile plans with no minimum contract terms. Even many of the cheapest offers do not have minimum terms. Note that even contracts with no binding contract term still require you to give notice ahead of ending your contract. Two-month notice requirements are typical. While mobile contracts in some countries are automatically extended for additional terms of one or even two years when the minimum term expires, that is not the case with Swiss mobile plans. When the minimum contract term expires, the contract simply remains active until you give notice.
Phones and mobile plans in the same contract: Only a few Swiss telecom providers bundle devices and mobile plans in the same contract. But it is common for service providers to let you buy a device which can be paid off in 24 monthly installments alongside your mobile plan. In many cases, the minimum contract term for the plan is shorter than the contract term for the mobile device. But you can terminate the installment plan at any time and pay off the remaining portion of the cost immediately.
Mobile roaming: Switzerland is not a member of the European Union (EU). That means Swiss telecom companies are not subject to EU regulations on roaming fees. Because of that, mobile roaming in EU countries often costs money. Swiss telecom companies generally offer data roaming bundles. Some Swiss mobile plans include mobile roaming allowances, but these plans tend to have high monthly flat fees, so using them often does not make financial sense.
Data volumes: In some countries, it is rare for mobile plans to include unlimited Internet access in their basic monthly fees. But in Switzerland there are numerous mobile plans and even prepaid offers which give you unlimited data for a flat fee, without any throttling even when you use very large amounts of data. Mobile plans which include unlimited mobile Internet access are available starting from less than 10 francs per month. You can find useful tips for mobile Internet here.
Gaps in coverage: Although Switzerland is a very mountainous country, gaps in network coverage are uncommon. You can generally count on good network coverage even in rural areas and small towns. If you venture into remote areas (while hiking, for example), you may encounter coverage gaps. Note: When you call the general emergency service number 112, your phone will make use of whichever network is available (including those from other service providers) to get through to emergency services. Even gaps in high-speed Internet connectivity are not common in Switzerland, so you will hardly be forced to make use of EDGE or other very slow data connections, as is common in some countries.

What are the most important points to consider when choosing Swiss mobile plans?

As an expat, the cost of using mobile roaming when visiting your home country will likely be an important point to consider. Pay attention to this when choosing Swiss mobile offers. Whatever you do, always avoid mobile roaming without first getting a bundle, as standard roaming charges are very high. Take a look at these useful tips for data roaming and tips for making calls while roaming.

As an expat living in Switzerland, you will also likely make more international phone calls than the average Swiss. Look out for mobile plans or prepaid offers which include allowances for international calls to the relevant countries in their flat fees. You can find useful tips for saving on international calls from Switzerland here.

Find out what else you should pay attention to in this guide to choosing the right Swiss mobile plan.

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Expert Ralf Beyeler

Ralf Beyeler is the telecom expert at moneyland.ch and also covers other areas of personal finance.

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