Switzerland - Current situation - History

18.06.2018

From 2020 onwards the Swiss radio industry plans to gradually phase out analogue FM radio broadcasting and to use DAB+ instead as the main broadcasting technology. In June 2018, Switzerland's Digital Migration working group (DigiMig) called for the country to switch off FM services from 2021, with completion a year later, as a result of ongoing growth in digital radio services. The working group states that current DAB+ service gaps will be eliminated by 2021, with a new national timetable for switchover to be published in 2019.

In order to provide support for this switchover, the Swiss OFCOM launched an information campaign in 2017. Since mid-2017 a range of information campaigns under the banner "Radio is changing" have been running on radio, television, the print media and billboards. More information on DAB+ can be found on the DABPlus website.

The “Digital Migration” Working Group (DigiMig WG) has representatives from the Swiss Association of Private Radios (Verband Schweizer Privatradios - VSP), the Union Romande des Radios Régionales (RRR), the Union of Non-Commercial Local Radios (Unikom), the SRG SSR, OFCOM, the car industry and other industry circles.

Today, the public broadcaster SRG and most private radio stations broadcast their radio programme services via DAB+ in parallel with FM and some even broadcast exclusively in digital format.

16.04.2018

From 2020 onwards the Swiss radio industry plans to gradually phase out analogue FM radio broadcasting and to use DAB+ instead as the main broadcasting technology.

In spring 2013 the radio industry, together with the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM), founded the “Digital Migration” Working Group (DigiMig WG). This has representatives from the Swiss Association of Private Radios
(Verband Schweizer Privatradios - VSP), the Union Romande des Radios Régionales (RRR), the Union of Non-Commercial Local Radios (Unikom), the SRG SSR, OFCOM, the car industry and other industry circles.

At the end of 2014 the DigiMig Working Group submitted to the Federal Council a scenario for the migration from analogue to digital. Today, the public broadcaster SRG and most private radio stations broadcast their radio programme services via DAB+ in parallel with FM and some even broadcast exclusively in digital format.

01.11.2017

Analogue FM transmission in Switzerland will gradually be replaced by digital radio as of 2020. At the end of 2014, DigiMig presented a scenario for the analogue‒digital switchover to the Swiss Federal Council. SRG and most privately owned radio stations already broadcast via DAB+ in parallel with their FM signals. Some stations have even gone exclusively digital.

The "DigiMig" report sets out a possible route from FM to DAB+ with 15 concrete recommendations.
In the working group's view, radio stations throughout Swtizerland should be broadcast first and foremost digitally via DAB+ by 2024 at the latest, and the analogue FM transmitters phased out. It proposes two main phases for the switchover:

Phase 1 would run until 2019. The report provides for specific marketing and communications measures, for example, to promote digital radio listening at home and in the car. The new Radio and Television Act (RTVA) will also give the technology a significant boost. This phase will be accompanied by a dedicated programme of audience research.
Phase 2 provides for the phased switchoff of FM transmitters between 2020 and 2024, coordinated by region. The radio sector wishes to take independent responsibility for this process, and is currently drafting the corresponding agreement.

View the press release from DigiMig here. Further information is available in English.

On 15 November 2016 public broadcaster SRG and the private operators SwissMediaCast and Digris expanded the DAB+ offer, by increasing the number of radio programmes from 102 to 117. At the same time, SRG is moved definitively from DAB to DAB+.

In August 2016 it was confirmed that 53 percent of all radio listening in Switzerland is digital, taking it ahead of analogue for the first time. In the spring of 2016, digital radio – DAB+ or the internet – accounted for an average of 53 of every 100 minutes of radio listened to per day. Digital radio listening has therefore increased by eight
percentage points in a year, rising from 45 percent in the spring of 2015 to 53 percent in the same period
of 2016.

From 15 November 2016, listeners throughout Switzerland will be able to receive more of SRG SSR’s DAB+ channels. To make this possible, it is discontinuing operation of DAB.

In spring 2013, Swiss radio industry joined forces with the Federal Office of Communications OFCOM to form the Digital Migration (DigiMig) working group. In addition to OFCOM, it comprises representatives of the VSP association of Swiss private radio stations, the RRR association which represents regional radio stations in French-speaking Switzerland, the Unikom union of non-commercial local radio stations, Swiss public broadcaster SRG SSR, the automotive industry, and other sectors.

Today there is one national multiplex with four regional multiplexes for the four different languages, three regional multiplexes and two local multiplexes and two city multiplexes (Geneva and Zurich areas), covering the German, French and Italian speaking areas of the country, with a mix of public and commercial services. End of 2012 the first step of the switchover of DAB to DAB+ took place.

Switzerland first launched DAB digital radio services in 1999 when the public broadcaster, SRG SSR went on air. The DAB+ services started as of 2008.

Click here for a powerpoint presentation (September 2015) providing an overview of the status of digital radio rollout in Switzerland.