5G network expansion divides the Swiss population
The Federal Council is pushing to expand 5G quickly. A representative Comparis survey shows a split: 42.6% of the Swiss population are in favour – with almost as many (41.7%) against the proposal.
12.05.2022
iStock / Marlon Trottmann
1. 5G rollout: here's the lowdown
The Federal Council wants to move to quickly expand 5G.
A Comparis survey shows that older people and those with a degree in higher education are leaning in favour of the rollout.
Younger people and women are more sceptical.
2. Key insights
According to its report, the government wants to expand the 5G network quickly. For this purpose, it wants to install 7,500 so-called adaptive antennas. These antennas focus radiation to the connected mobile phone's location.
The proposal is polarizing: almost half of the population supports the rollout of 5G technology (42.6%). The other half is not in favour (41.7%). This was revealed in a survey by Comparis in April 2022. 16% of respondents are still undecided.
Read the full survey results here (in German, French and Italian only).
3. What surprised us
Women are more critical of 5G expansion than men. Only 29.7% of the women surveyed are in favour of a rapid network expansion, while 50% are against it. Among men, on the other hand, 55.1% of the respondents are in favour, and 33.6% are against it.
There is also a clear generational divide. For example, 46.2% of those over 55 are in favour of a rapid expansion; for those between 36 and 55, the approval rate was 38.3%.
There is also a clear trend when it comes to education levels: 47.3% of those with a higher educational attainment are in favour of expansion, against only 38.3% of people with a low or medium level of education.
4. What our expert at Comparis says
"Women are less enthusiastic about technology than men and are more sceptical about rapid network expansion. Men are generally more excited about 5G technology," commented Comparis digital expert Jean-Claude Frick on the gender differences.
Frick sees great promise for the future in 5G: "Innovations such as self-driving cars and VR applications have not yet gained acceptance. But the more you use your smartphone, the more important it will be to have a fast, stable 5G connection in the near future."
5. The results at a glance
