The Internet in Switzerland has one of the highest penetration rates in Europe.

Summary

* Internet users: 6.8 million, 49th in the world; 85.2% of the population, 19th in the world (2012)."Percentage of Individuals using the Internet 2000-2012"
International Telecommunication Union (Geneva), June 2013, retrieved 22 June 2013 * Fixed broadband: 3.3 million subscribers, 27th in the world; 41.9% of population, 3rd in the world (2012)."Fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012"
, Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE,

International Telecommunication Union The International Telecommunication Union is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for many matters related to information and communication technologies. It was established on 17 May 1865 as the International Telegraph Unio ...

. Retrieved on 29 June 2013. * Mobile broadband: 3.3 million subscribers, 49th in the world; 41.4% of population, 39th in the world (2012)."Active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012"
, Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE,

. Retrieved on 29 June 2013. * Internet hosts: 5.3 million, 20th in the world (2012)."Switzerland Communications"
''World Factbook'', U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 29 October 2013. *

Top level domain A top-level domain (TLD) is one of the domains at the highest level in the hierarchical Domain Name System of the Internet after the root domain. The top-level domain names are installed in the root zone of the name space. For all domains in ...

.ch .ch is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Switzerland in the Domain Name System of the Internet. Made available in 1987, only two years after .com, it is administered by SWITCH Information Technology Services. The domain ''ch'', as ...

* IPv4 addresses: 20.9 million, 0.5% of worldwide total, 2.726 addresses per person (2012).

Broadband

Switzerland has one of the fastest broadband penetration rates in Europe.

Broadband access Internet access is the ability of individuals and organizations to connect to the Internet using computer terminals, computers, and other devices; and to access services such as email and the World Wide Web. Internet access is sold by Internet ...

using dial-up telephone communications as the main growth area, and

DSL Digital subscriber line (DSL; originally digital subscriber loop) is a family of technologies that are used to transmit digital data over telephone lines. In telecommunications marketing, the term DSL is widely understood to mean asymmetric dig ...

networks have overtaken

cable Internet access In telecommunications, cable Internet access, shortened to cable Internet, is a form of broadband Internet access which uses the same infrastructure as a cable television. Like digital subscriber line and fiber to the premises services, cable In ...

as the principal technology for broadband access. Strong growth in mobile broadband has added to the mix. Approximately two thirds of home broadband subscriptions are via

, specifically

ADSL Asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) is a type of digital subscriber line (DSL) technology, a data communications technology that enables faster data transmission over copper telephone lines than a conventional voiceband modem can provide. ...

and

VDSL Very high-speed digital subscriber line (VDSL) and very high-speed digital subscriber line 2 (VDSL2) are digital subscriber line (DSL) technologies providing data transmission faster than the earlier standards of asymmetric digital subscriber li ...

, with the remaining third using cable. Many DSL providers sell "naked DSL", which is cheaper, but comes without telephone service. Other

xDSL Digital subscriber line (DSL; originally digital subscriber loop) is a family of technologies that are used to transmit digital data over telephone lines. In telecommunications marketing, the term DSL is widely understood to mean asymmetric d ...

technologies, satellite access, and

optical fiber An optical fiber, or optical fibre in Commonwealth English, is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass ( silica) or plastic to a diameter slightly thicker than that of a human hair. Optical fibers are used most often as a mea ...

are available, but are generally used by businesses due to their cost. Fiber connections for private customers are available in some urban areas.

Fixed broadband providers

* Cablecom, the largest cable

ISP An Internet service provider (ISP) is an organization that provides services for accessing, using, or participating in the Internet. ISPs can be organized in various forms, such as commercial, community-owned, non-profit, or otherwise private ...

, supplies digital broadband Internet access, telephone and TV. No Swisscom line is needed for Cablecom services. There is a subscription fee for the cable line, which is often included in the rent of an apartment. The cable subscription includes "free Internet" (2MBit/sec) for a setup fee of 100CHF. A comprehensive website in English explains all products. *DFI is the main Internet supplier in Geneva. *Green provides ADSL, VDSL and SDSL Internet connections. Website in French, German and English. *M-Budget DSL provides DSL, fixed lines and mobile phones. Web site in French, German and Italian. *Monzoon offers prepaid VDSL and ADSL lines. *

Sunrise Sunrise (or sunup) is the moment when the upper rim of the Sun appears on the horizon in the morning. The term can also refer to the entire process of the solar disk crossing the horizon and its accompanying atmospheric effects. Terminology A ...

provides fixed lines, mobile phones and various ADSL and VDSL packages. Website in French, German, Italian and English. * Swisscom Internet service. Website in French, German, Italian and English. * InterXS Internet and Telephony services. Website in German, French and English. Provides VDSL, ADSL and Fiber internet with fixed line included. Pay as you Go packages without long term contract now available. * Init7 1/10/25Gbps FTTH internet service, VDSL and ADSL. Website in German, French and English.

Speeds and price comparison

* Swisscom DSL residential plans: 5 Mbit/s (74CHF/month), 15 Mbit/s (79CHF/month), 40 Mbit/s (99CHF/month), 100Mbit/s (109/month), 300Mbit/s (139CHF/month). Needs a telephone line which costs 25.35CHF/month. * Cablecom Cable: Residential Plans : 40 Mbit/s (59CHF/month), 100 Mbit/s (99CHF/month), 250 Mbit/s (109CHF/month), 500 Mbit/s (129CHF/month). One time activation fee 99CHF. ~~Needs a cable subscription which costs 28.40CHF / month (often part of the rent)~~ as of 2017, cable charges are now bundled with the package. * Green: 0.4 Mbit/s (49CHF), 10 Mbit/s (59CHF), 50 Mbit/s (69CHF), 100 Mbit/s (74CHF). The required telephone line is included, but does not include voice telephone service. * InterXS: 2 Mbit/s (22,50CHF), 20 Mbit/s (29,50CHF), 50 Mbit/s (32,45CHF), 100 Mbit/s (32,50CHF), 1000 Mbit/s (39,50CHF). The required telephone line is included, and does include voice telephone service.

Mobile broadband providers

There are three Swiss mobile network providers, each using its own mobile network: * Swisscom Mobile * Sunrise * Salt (Orange) There are numerous types of mobile telephone subscriptions. Subscriptions are for 12 or 24 months, depending on the offer. Several providers have ended the practice of automatic renewal upon expiry and more will do so in 2014."Sunrise and Orange abolish automatic contract extension"
Inside-IT.ch, 28 October 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2013. There are also prepaid offers available, which do not require a subscription. After buying the prepaid card, calls can be made immediately. Some providers have facilities for recharging a card at train ticket dispensing machines, post office machines, or in some electronics shops. Prepaid cards are sold in many shops and kiosks.

Internet censorship and surveillance

References

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