 Switzerland: Telecoms and technology background
FROM THE ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT
Spending on information and communications technology (ICT) in Switzerland is high, reflecting both high consumer incomes and the strength of the financial services industry as an information technology (IT)-intensive industry.
According to the European Information Technology Observatory, total ICT spending, including investment and telecommunications services, amounted to Swfr31.3bn (US$25.2bn) in 2004, equivalent to 3.3% of the western Europe market and 1% of the world market. Since the liberalisation of the telecoms sector in 1998, prices have fallen considerably, but the former national monopolist, Swisscom, still maintains a dominant position in all major telecoms sub sectors.
The mobile market has grown rapidly, and universal mobile telecommunications service (UMTS) networks, which enable video and data downloads, gaming and other services, were rolled out in late 2004. Personal computer (PC) and Internet penetration is slightly above the average in comparable countries in the EU, while broadband penetration is growing rapidly. Switzerland does not have an independent computer software or hardware production base of international importance, but several major foreign companies have a strong presence in Switzerland.
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Useful links:
- EIU ViewsWire Switzerland for comprehensive political, economic and business analysis of Switzerland
- Swisscom mobile, fixed line telephones, internet, other technology
- Bluewin TV, fixed line telephone, internet
- Swiss National Science Foundation - Swiss Priority Programme SPP ICS site has details of the electronic commerce initiative of the SPP ICS programme
- Switzerland Telecommunications News
- Switzerland Internet Usage and Telecommunications Report
- Swissworld contains stats and information about new Swiss innovations, and research projects
- Sunrise telecommunications, internet, mobile, fixed line telephone
- Orange mobile telecommunications, Swiss subsidiary of Orange
- ETH Zurich Swiss Federal Institute of technology in Zurich
SOURCE: The Economist Intelligence Unit
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