Swisscom with one of the best 4G/LTE coverage in the world according to the World Cellular Information Service

Berne, 19-8-2013 — /EuropaWire/ — Expansion of Swisscom’s new 4G/LTE network is forging ahead. Today, 60 per cent of the Swiss population already have access to Swisscom’s latest-generation mobile network at some 300 locations across the country. And when it comes to using the new network, Swisscom customers command a top position in Europe: around half a million Swisscom customers already use 4G/LTE – second only to Sweden. “This trend is excellent news and is testimony yet again to Swisscom’s strategy. The success we have achieved justifies the high level of investments we make in our networks each and every year. In 2013 alone, this figure already stands at CHF 1.75 billion,” says Heinz Herren, Head of Network & IT.

Swisscom is working flat out upgrading the entire mobile network and rolling out 4G/LTE. Sixty per cent of the Swiss population at some 300 locations across Switzerland already have 4G/LTE coverage. Swisscom is looking to extend this to over 70% of the Swiss population by the end of the year.

Two out of three mobile devices sold by Swisscom are smartphones, with the proportion of 4G/LTE enabled devices rising steadily. Swisscom currently boasts around half a million 4G/LTE-enabled devices on its network, which accounts for just under 9 per cent of all devices. In a Europe-wide comparison, Swisscom comes in a close second behind Sweden (9.03%) and well ahead of Germany (0.67%), according to a study by the World Cellular Information Service. Worldwide, Swisscom ranks sixth in terms of 4G/LTE penetration.

This trend attests once more to Swisscom’s role as technology leader in the Swiss telecoms sector.

Data-thirsty smartphones
The last 12 months have seen the data volume on Swisscom’s mobile network jump by 130 per cent, or by a factor of 27 since 2009. Swisscom will invest CHF 1.75 billion in networks this year alone so that it can continue offering customers optimum data connection despite these ever-growing demands on the network.