As from 2021, new guidelines will apply to telecom service providers as per a revision of the Swiss Telecommunications Act and other laws and ordinances. By implementing these changes, the Federal Council aims to better the legal rights of consumers.
1. More clarity for Internet access
- What is changing?
From September 1, 2021, mobile service providers Swisscom, Salt and Sunrise, and large Internet service providers like Swisscom, UPC, Quickline and Sunrise will be required to take measurements of Internet connection quality. As from January 1, 2020, service providers will be required to publish this information.
- Assessment by Ralf Beyeler
Better and more transparent information about the quality of Internet connectivity is absolutely welcome. In many cases, the actual data transfer speeds with which consumers connect to the Internet are much slower than what they actually pay for. However, measurements are normally complicated and cumbersome. How reliable the published data will be remains to be seen.
2. 12-month validity periods for mobile roaming options and bundles
- What is changing?
As from July 1, 2021, roaming options and roaming bundles must remain valid for at least 12 months before expiring. Additionally, users will have to be able to choose the date on which options take effect. Mobile roaming is explained here.
- Assessment by Ralf Beyeler
I have long criticized the common practice of selling data roaming bundles which expire after 30 days. The new rules are a huge step forward in this regard. The new requirements also benefit consumers who make multiple trips abroad over the course of a year.
3. Limits on mobile roaming costs
- What is changing?
From July 1, 2021, mobile service providers can only provide a consumer with roaming services after the consumer has defined a personal limit for roaming costs. This also applies to existing customers.
- Assessment by Ralf Beyeler
The new rules require consumers to set their own cost limits for mobile roaming services. It will be interesting to see how mobile service providers implement this regulation. In principal the new rules should prevent excessive roaming charges as service providers have to disable roaming as soon as the predefined cost limits are reached.
4. Old interval billing schedules can no longer be used for mobile roaming
- What is changing?
From July 1, 2021, mobile service providers have to use per-second billing for roaming calls and per-kilobyte billing for data roaming. Charges can only be rounded to the nearest 10 centimes. If calls fall below the 30-second average length, mobile service providers can bill for a full 30 seconds.
- Assessment by Ralf Beyeler
The phasing out of old interval billing for mobile roaming by the Federal Council is a welcome move. The former interval billing schedules were a cash cow for mobile service providers. Per-minute interval billing resulted in mobile users paying much more than necessary for short phone calls. For example, if a call went 1 second over 2 minutes, the mobile user would be charged almost 50% too much.
5. Better mobile roaming information
- What is changing?
As from July 1, 2021, Swiss mobile service providers must provide their customers with clear and easily understandable information about the costs and structure of mobile roaming at least once a year. This information must also be provided every time roaming services are activated or deactivated. Roaming information must be provided when a mobile contract is created, as it has until now.
Swiss mobile service providers must provide customers with clear information on these three points:
1. How and where customers can find applicable mobile roaming tariffs and tariff models.
2. About the ability to set a cost limit.
3. About the ability to disable roaming.
- Assessment by Ralf Beyeler
Having mobile service providers better inform customers about roaming makes a lot of sense. Experience has shown that there are still too many consumers who unknowingly generate huge roaming charges.
6. More freedom for landline phone calls
- What is changing?
From January 1, 2021, landline phone connection providers will be required to provide customers with VoIP access data. This data allows customers to make and receive calls with their number using any landline phone.
- Assessment by Ralf Beyeler
This change will not affect a huge number of consumers. But those who will benefit from it will likely appreciate being able to use a device of their choice. The change also enables nomadic calling. That means landline phone users can make and receive calls with their number from any location – not just through their home connection.
7. Measures against unwanted phone calls
- What is changing?
Swiss telecom service providers will be required to install filtering systems which block unwanted advertising calls. From January 1, 2021, the Swiss law governing unfair competition will also be updated. Advertising calls from unlisted numbers or incorrectly used numbers will be deemed unfair.
- Assessment by Ralf Beyeler
Unwanted advertising phone calls have become a political topic. But whether or not the new measures will have the desired effect remains questionable. Many call centers operate from outside of Switzerland. We can hope that the measures will lead to a reduction in annoying advertising calls. But consumers should not get their hopes too high in this regard.
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