Network coverage in Switzerland: which provider has the best network?
In Switzerland, Swisscom, Sunrise UPC and Salt cover the mobile network. Comparis explains the differences between providers.
18.03.2022
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1. Which provider is using which network?
Choose your preferred provider and click on the respective link to compare plans.
Can't find a product that suits your needs? Use the Comparis mobile phone plan comparison to compare the latest deals from Swiss providers quickly and easily.
2. Who has the best network in Switzerland?
According to Swiss Mobile Network Test 2022 by Connect (in German only), Swisscom has the best network in Switzerland, closely followed by Sunrise. Trailing by a slightly wider margin, Salt places third and last among the Swiss network providers.
Criteria such as the quality of voice telephony and data connectivity in trains, download and upload rates, and the expansion of the 5G infrastructure were examined. Swisscom and Sunrise all but tied in many categories. Salt also delivered a very solid performance in the test. However, the prices of the providers and the reliability of the services over a longer period of time were not taken into account in the Connect ranking.
Conclusion: Swisscom has the best network, closely followed by Sunrise.
3. How good is Salt's network?
According to its own data, the Salt 4G network reaches more than 99.3% of the Swiss population. Speeds of up to 300 Mbps are achieved under optimum conditions.
Compared to Swisscom and Sunrise UPC, Salt's network is patchy. Salt's network map shows white spots across the cantons of Uri, Ticino, Valais, Graubünden and St. Gallen. Salt is also lagging behind Swisscom and Sunrise UPC in terms of expanding its 5G network.
4. How good is Sunrise UPC's network?
Sunrise UPC reports a 4G network coverage of 98%. With 3G, the provider can even supply 99% of the Swiss population. Sunrise UPC's network coverage does not contain any major gaps. According to the Sunrise website, the 5G network is also already available in "1,000 locations" in Switzerland.
5. How good is Swisscom's network?
According to its own data, Swisscom reaches 99.9% of the Swiss population with its network coverage. Compared to Salt and Sunrise UPC, the provider has the highest 5G coverage.
While 5G achieves a fast connection of up to 1 Gbps, 5G+ is even faster. 5G+ refers to the traditional 5G network, which has high bandwidths and can achieve download speeds of up to 2 Gbps.
6. The best network provider is not necessarily the best service provider
The winner of the "Bilanz" telecom ratings 2021 for private individuals is neither Swisscom nor Sunrise UPC nor Salt, but the Bernese telecom provider Quickline, whose mobile services use the Sunrise UPC network.
Quickline achieved the best rating in terms of network quality and is among the three providers with the most attractive price-performance ratio in the rating. Swisscom, Sunrise, Salt and UPC are the four most expensive Swiss mobile network providers.
Conclusion: according to the 2021 "Bilanz" telecom rating, Quickline is the best Swiss provider.
7. Which service provider is good for large amounts of data?
With the exponential growth of general data consumption, faster transmission methods and higher bandwidths will soon become essential to ensure a smooth everyday life and to keep up with new technologies.
If you want a cost-effective provider with reliable service and data technology prospects for the future, look for an attractive deal from the service providers Quickline or Yallo and benefit from the Sunrise network at a lower price.
8. Why do I have poor reception?
Topography, terrain, weather and the number of active users have an impact on the availability and quality of mobile services, regardless of the network provider.
For example, the Alpine regions are almost entirely covered by the Swiss mobile network. Depending on the hiking route, however, the surrounding mountains can shield mobile radio signals from terminals. This leads to poor mobile phone reception. The same goes for shopping centres, where solid reinforced concrete walls may prevent mobile radio signals from reaching the terminal.
In addition, a rapid change between different network cells with simultaneous use by many persons – as is the case, for example, during a train journey – can have a negative effect on reception.
