Internet domain names
Among other things, domain names make it possible to assign a unique address to every website. These names, such as ofcom.ch, are currently used very often, primarily for accessing websites or sending e-mails. Traditional extensions, such as .ch or .com, will be augmented by new top level domain names related to brands or geographic names. In this context, the Confederation has set a strategy which seeks to protect the country’s public interest in relation to the management of domain names. Furthermore, it has acquired the extension .swiss from ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). The registration of .swiss domain names is possible since autumn 2015.
.ch internet domain names
The technical management of the .ch domain in relation to the global internet domain name system has been delegated to Switch until the end of 2026. A survey conducted in March 2025 by the OFCOM shows that stakeholders in the Swiss domain name market are very satisfied with the services provided by Switch. Switch also provides the service for accessing the registration data for .ch domain names (RDDS, formerly WHOIS). However, with the entry into force of the revision of the Ordinance on Internet Domains (ODI) on 1 January 2021, the personal information of holders of .ch domain names is no longer accessible via this service.
.swiss internet domain names
The new .swiss internet domain is available to the Swiss community since September 2015. For this purpose, the Confederation has signed a contract with ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), the corporation which manages internet addresses. To promote competition and diversity in the domain name system, new extensions for domain names are gradually being made available. The 22 traditional generic extensions (e.g. .com, .org or .info) are joined by thematic (e.g. .hotel, .bank), geographical (e.g. .berlin, .florida) or brand-related extensions. This new feature is the result of a decision by ICANN.