A Guide to TV Time Shifting in Switzerland

What is TV time shifting?

TV time shifting lets you go back and watch TV shows which have aired over the past few days. That applies to any show across many different TV channels. The time shifting feature is included in numerous Swiss TV plans. You can normally use time shifting on phones and computers in addition to television sets.

Do I have to watch advertisements?

Many TV subscriptions allow you to choose whether you want to see forced advertisements. There are two options:

• TV time shifting with forced advertising breaks: In this model, you cannot use TV time shifting to skip advertising breaks like you were able to in the past. The price tags of plans which use this model will likely remain unchanged.
• TV time shifting without forced advertising breaks: In this model, you can continue to skip advertising breaks using TV time shifting as you have been able to up until now. But telecom companies who offer this model will now have to pay higher licensing fees.

Which TV channels will have forced advertising breaks?

If you opt for a TV plan which uses the forced advertising model, then you cannot skip advertisements on certain TV channels using time shifting. On other channels, you can continue to skip commercial breaks as usual.

These popular German-language channels require either forced advertising or higher licensing fee payments:

• 3+, 4+, 5+, 6+ and 7+
• TV24, TV25
• S1
• Acht
• RTL, RTL2, RTL Up, Super RTL, RTL Nitro
• Vox
• Sat-1, Sat-1 Gold
• Pro-Sieben, Pro-Sieben Maxx
• Kabel Eins
• Toggo
• N-TV
• Sixx
• TeleZüri
• TeleBärn
• TeleM1
• TVO
• Tele 1

Many popular channels do not require forced advertising. These include:

• SRF 1, SRF 2, SRF Info
• ARD
• ZDF
• ORF
• 3-Sat
• Arte

The rule of thumb is: Private broadcasters generally require forced advertising, while public broadcasters typically do not. But each broadcaster is free to choose whether or not to implement forced advertising, so there is always a chance of a broadcaster adopting this model.

What kinds of forced advertising are there?

Forced advertising is advertising which you cannot skip over. Three different forced advertising models are used:

• Advertisements at the start: Whenever you turn on time-shifted television, you have to wait out a seven-second commercial break before you can watch the show. If you rewind to the beginning of the show, you have to watch another seven seconds of advertising before it begins to play.
• Advertisements at each pause: Whenever you pause a show, advertisements play automatically until you un-pause it.
• Advertisements when you skip: When you try to skip a commercial break on a time-shifted TV show, you are forced to wait out up to 130 seconds of advertisements. Once the forced commercial break has finished, you can push a button to continue watching the show.

How can I use TV time-shifting without forced advertising?

Some TV plans include replay TV without forced advertising. One example is the Zattoo Ultimate plan.

Though, some TV plans have an option which eliminates forced advertising. You can add this option to your plan for an extra fee.

These no-forced-advertising options are currently offered by Swiss TV plan providers:

• Teleboy: Additional option for 5 francs per month
• Swisscom: Replay Comfort option for 6.90 francs per month
• Sunrise: Skip Ads option for 7.90 francs per month
• Yallo: TV Comfort option for 7.95 francs per month
• Salt: 7 days Replay option for 9.95 francs per month
• Quickline: Replay Premium option for 10 francs per month

Note: TV subscription providers must pay a fee of 7 francs per month per customer to TV broadcasters for TV time shifting without forced advertising.

What does TV time shifting cost?

Many Swiss TV plans include time shifting. Prices for these TV plans start at around 10 francs per month. Bu there are big differences between individual plans. Aside from time shifting, more expensive TV plans tend to have higher TV recording capacities and premium TV channels.

Packages which bundle home Internet plans with TV plans also often include TV time shifting.

What is TV time shifting good for?

The big advantage of time shifting is that you can find and replay shows from numerous channels up to several days after they are aired. You can find all shows across all channels in one place, with no need to go hunting across multiple platforms. Another advantage is that you can normally watch time-shifted TV on phones or computers in addition to TV sets.

What is the disadvantage of TV time shifting?

For many years, the only possible disadvantage of TV time shifting in Switzerland was the fact that replays are limited to shows which were broadcast within the past seven days.

Since fall 2022, time shifting in Switzerland has been much less customer-friendly. You either have to endure advertising breaks, or pay inflated prices for regular TV time shifting.

Which service providers offer TV time shifting?

Time shifting is included in many TV plans. Practically all Swiss telecom and cable TV companies have it. The best-known service providers are Swisscom, Sunrise, UPC, Quickline, and Salt. But there are many more smaller service providers, some of which only operate locally in specific regions.

Internet-based TV services like Zattoo, and Teleboy also offer TV time shifting.

But time shifting is not included in all TV plans. Cheap subscriptions, in particular, often do not include this feature.

How far back in time can I shift to?

Normally, you can watch any TV show which was broadcast in the last seven days. A few TV plans only let you watch shows which aired in the past 30 hours, instead of seven days.

The Swiss TV plan on moneyland.ch lets you filter offers based on whether they offer 30-hour or seven-day time shifting.

Shows which aired more than seven days before – or 30 hours before for plans with that limit – can no longer be watched using time shifting. But many service providers let you record shows as long as they are available through time shifting. If you have a plan or option which gives you seven-day TV time shifting, you can replay shows which aired within the past seven days, and record them using the TV recording function. Once they are recorded, you can watch them any time you like – including long after the time shifting period expires.

Which channels can I watch using time shifting?

Most TV plans let you use time shifting with all available channels. In many cases, only pay TV and premium channels cannot be watched using time shifting.

Time shifting is normally available for the most popular TV channels in Switzerland, including SRF, and German channels ARD, ZDF, RTL, Vox, Sat 1, and Pro Sieben, among others.  

Can I skip commercials?

Yes. Time shifting lets you quickly fast-forward through the advertising breaks which TV broadcasters are known for.

But the new changes to time shifting in Switzerland mean that, depending on your TV plan, you may not be able to skip commercial breaks when watching certain channels.

Can I use time shifting for free?

No. TV time shifting comes with either a paid TV plan, an option, or a bundled Internet and TV package. There are no options for free time shifting in Switzerland.

Are there alternatives to TV time shifting?

Many shows can be watched on demand over the Internet – either in broadcasters’ own media libraries, or on streaming platforms like Youtube.

Depending on what you use TV for, video-on-demand streaming services like Netflix, Disney Plus, and Amazon Prime can also be an alternative to time shifting.

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