Federal Office of Communications
Federal Office of Communications
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The year 2008 in review
Chronology of major OFCOM, DETEC and ComCom decisions
| 5 December 2008 | The Federal Council has renewed the Interdepartmental Information Society Committee's mandate (ISSC). This allows the IISC to continue to coordinate implementation of the Federal Council's strategy for an information society in Switzerland until the end of 2011. The central themes will include e-Participation, awareness-raising among the population to the opportunities and threats of the internet and other modern IT technologies, plus e-Inclusion which continues to be an important topic. |
| 26 November 2008 | The Federal Council referred the supplementary message relating to Swiss participation in the EU MEDIA film support programme to parliament. This participation is of critical importance for the development of the Swiss film industry. After the rejection of the matter by parliament in December 2007, the Federal Council agreed an amendment to the text of the agreement with the EU in order to better guarantee Switzerland's media policy interests from foreign television advertising windows. At the same time, the Federal Council proposes a relaxation of the ban on alcohol advertising in the Radio and Television Act (RTA), so that domestic television broadcasters are not disadvantaged in respect of foreign competition. |
| 25 November 2008 | The second digital platform intended for French-speaking Switzerland was of interest to seven candidates who would like to obtain a licence to broadcast DAB+ radio programme services. The consultation procedure was launched today and interested parties have until 23 December to submit their opinions. After analysis of the candidature dossiers the decisions will be communicated in spring 2009. |
| 12 November 2008 | By adopting the National Frequency Allocation Plan for the year 2009, the Federal Council has decided that a share of the frequencies traditionally used for terrestrial television transmission will be released for new use by mobile communication services, by the year 2015 at the latest. |
| 31 October 2008 | DETEC has awarded 14 VHF radio and 7 regional television licences for coverage areas where more than one broadcaster submitted a candidature. Two former radio licensees and two former TV licensees lost their licences to other candidates. Appeals against the decisions can be submitted to the Federal Administrative Court. |
| 24 September 2008 | The Federal Communications Commission (ComCom) has set the price for unbundling the local loop for the first time. For the current year it will be reduced to CHF 18.18. Swisscom had initially demanded a price of CHF 31.00 from its competitors; it is currently charging CHF 23.50. ComCom is also reducing interconnection prices again by 25 to 30 percent for 2007 and 2008. |
| 23 September 2008 | The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) is currently examining whether there is still a current need for medium-wave broadcasting of radio programme services in Switzerland. After the Beromünster transmitter ceased operation at the end of December 2008, four out of five medium-wave frequencies in Switzerland will be unused. |
| 15 September 2008 | The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) is launching a consultation to assess the requirements of parties interested in the transmission of TV programme services in digital quality in Upper Valais and Grisons. Interested parties have until 24 October 2008 to submit their proposals concerning the new DVB-T licences, which should be awarded in spring 2009. |
| 11. September 2008 | The approval procedure for organisations and specialists wishing to inspect the editorial quality assurance systems for private VHF radio stations and regional television broadcasters has now been instituted. Interested parties can submit their candidatures to the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) until mid-November 2008. |
| 28. August 2008 | The Competition Commission (ComCo), the Price Supervisor and the Federal Communications Commission (ComCom) are jointly calling for the Federal Council to introduce an efficient instrument for faster determination of the network access prices charged by Swiss telecom companies. The Telecommunications Act should be amended so that so-called interconnection and access prices can be officially verified by ComCom in future. At present, ComCom can only examine access prices in response to a complaint from a provider. |
| 15 July 2008 | Following a request from the umbrella organisation of private radio stations in French-speaking Switzerland, the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) has extended the deadline for submitting candidatures for digital transmission of radio programme services in French-speaking Switzerland. |
| 8 July 2008 | The Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) has licensed 27 VHF radio stations and 6 regional television stations. These 33 broadcasters were the only candidates in their respective coverage areas. In relation to the complex procedure for multiple candidates in a coverage area, it is expected that the Department will make the decisions in autumn. |
| 3 July 2008 | From 3 July 2008, the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) is mandating the ombudscom foundation to assume the activities of an official conciliation service for the telecommunications sector. |
| 1 July 2008 | The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) has updated its guidelines on advertising and sponsorship. The guidelines are published on the internet and explain OFCOM's approach to advertising and sponsorship issues. They have been developed for radio and television specialists to use as a daily working tool. |
| 18 June 2008 | The Federal Council has given SRG permission to cease broadcasting from the medium wave Monte Ceneri transmitter at the end of June 2008. At the same time the Federal Council gave permission for SRG to broadcast the SF info TV programme service on the digital terrestrial network (DVB-T). These decisions mark the national government's first revisions to the SRG licence which was awarded on 28 November 2007. |
| 15 May 2008 | Elimination of the last differences between Swiss legislation concerning telecommunications equipment and that of the European Community. |
| 2 May 2008 | The Federal Council appointed the previous vice director Véronique Gigon as deputy director. She has been employed at OFCOM since its foundation and was closely involved in setting up the Office. |
| 29 April 2008 | The new telecommunications dispute resolution service prescribed in the Telecommunications Act (TCA) will be created in the form of a foundation whose framework was determined today. The legal form of the foundation and its scope of work developed by OFCOM make it possible to guarantee the independence of this entity charged with resolving disputes in the telecommunications sector without having to resort to legal procedures. |
| 29 April 2008 | The private radio offering in French-speaking Switzerland is to be expanded by a new digital platform. The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) has launched an invitation to tender for eight licences with access rights to this platform. Programme services will be transmitted on the basis of the DAB+ standard. Interested parties have until the end of July 2008 to submit their candidatures. |
| 16 April 2008 | From 15 May 2008, barriers will fall between the European Community and Switzerland for placing radiocommunications equipment such as, for example, remote-control toys or wireless microphones on the market. These changes were approved today by the Federal Council, which is taking a further step towards the application of the "Cassis de Dijon" principle in Switzerland. |
| 9 April 2008 | The Federal Communications Commission (ComCom) has provisionally extended the GSM mobile telephony licences of Orange, Sunrise and Swisscom, which expire at the end of May 2008, until 31 December 2013 at the latest. This is intended to bridge the delays in the renewal of the three expiring GSM licences which have arisen as a result of appeals procedures. |
| 11 March 2008 | Within the context of a public hearing on the applications for a VHF radio or regional TV licence, 128 comments were received by the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM). The applicants now have the opportunity to express their views on the results of the hearing. It is expected that the first licence decisions will be made in early summer 2008. |
| 6 March 2008 | The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) has awarded SwissMediaCast AG the technical approval (radio licence) for transmission of new digital radio programme services in German-speaking Switzerland. This fulfils the legal requirements so that the new digital radio platform with 18 programme services can begin operations. The launch is planned for autumn 2008. |
| 20 February 2008 | The Federal Council today approved Switzerland's entry to the Independent Regulators Group (IRG). By joining the IRG - a group of 34 European national telecommunications regulatory authorities - Switzerland will be able to continue its active participation in the regulation and development of the telecom sector in the European context. |
| 20 February 2008 | The Federal Council has appointed Dr. iur. Stephan Netzle and Dr. rer. pol. Andreas Bühlmann as new members of the Federal Communications Commission (ComCom). They take the office of Hans-Rudolf Schurter and Beat Kappeler, who left the commission at the end of 2007. |
| 25 January 2008 | OFCOM has awarded the company Kussmaul GmbH a 30-day short-term VHF radio licence for their radio venture "Rhythm of Football" during the European Football Championships in Switzerland. |
| January 2008 | Launch of the European one-stop shop for the notification of radiocommunications equipment operating in the non-harmonised frequency bands. |
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