The scope of the universal service is reviewed periodically by the Federal Council. It consists mainly of the public telephone service, internet access service and services for the disabled.
Services
Telephony and internet access
The telephone service includes real-time national and international telephone calls with a telephone number and an entry in the public telephone service directory. Households are entitled to two free entries. The Internet access service includes (at the user's option) a specified transmission rate of 10/1 Mbit/s or 80/8 Mbit/s. In exceptional cases, the transmission rate may be reduced. If a comparable offer already exists on the market, the universal service licence holder is not obliged to provide access.
Services for the disabled
Specific services intended for the hearing-impaired, partially sighted and persons with reduced mobility are also provided as part of the universal service. These are transcription services, relaying of short messages (SMS), relaying by videotelephony (a new service) and directory and switching services. The services forming part of the universal service must in effect be provided in such a way that they can be used by the disabled under conditions which are qualitatively, quantitatively and economically comparable to those offered to those who are not disabled.
Quality
The universal service licensee must analyse the quality of the universal service it provides. Technical and administrative regulations regulate the (annualised average) target values to be achieved in terms of quality. The various measurements of quality are contained in an annual report intended for OFCOM.
Maximum prices
The following maximum prices (excl. VAT) apply to the universal service:
- public telephone service with one number and one or two entries in the directory including connection: CHF 23.45 per month;
- Internet access service:
- with a specified transmission rate of 10/1 Mbit/s, including connection: CHF 45 per month,
- with a specified transmission rate of 80/8 Mbit/s, including connection: CHF 60 per month;
- public telephone service with a number with one or two entries in the directory and Internet access service:
- with a specified transmission rate of 10/1 Mbit/s, including connection: CHF 50 per month,
- with a specified transmission rate of 80/8 Mbit/s, including connection: CHF 65 per month;
- provision of the offers in accordance with letters a-c: one-off payment of CHF 40 upon conclusion of the contract; switching between these offers must be free of charge;
- national calls within the framework of the public telephone service to fixed network connections, charged by the number of seconds and rounded up to the nearest 10 centimes: 7.5 centimes per minute;
- use of the transcription service, charged by the number of seconds and rounded up to the nearest 10 centimes: 3.4 centimes per minute
Last modification 01.01.2024
