As ComCom aims to ensure that the award of a scarce resource generates an appropriate level of revenue, operators are reluctant to repay for access to key bands so soon after the original auction
800MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz and 2.6GHz licences are due to expire in 2028
On 1 September 2026, the Swiss Federal Office of Communication (ComCom) launched an invitation to tender for a “significant proportion” of the spectrum currently in use by mobile operators, which will become available and be awarded as of 1 January 2029. According to ComCom, current network coverage relies to a large extent on the frequencies that will become available at the end of 2028 following the expiry of the current licences. It added that the five spectrum bands in question – 800MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz and 2.6GHz – were assigned by auction in 2012 and are of great importance for operating mobile networks in Switzerland. In December 2023, the regulator launched a consultation to gauge interest in continued access to these bands, as well as 6GHz, 26GHz and 40GHz. However, with no consistent demand for 26GHz and 40GHz, and with 6GHz yet to be harmonised at the European level, in July 2024 ComCom opted not to proceed with awarding these bands. Describing 800MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz and 2.6GHz as a scarce public resource, ComCom has committed to a transparent procedure that will be open to current mobile network operators and other interested companies on equal terms.
Coverage, quality and competition are among ComCom’s main auction objectives
In ComCom’s view, the primary objectives of the upcoming award are to maintain and further develop the country’s three mobile networks (Salt, Sunrise, Swisscom), and to foster competition in the market to the ultimate benefit of end users. Through the award of the new licences, the regulator is also aiming to:
Ensure that the Swiss public and the wider economy continue to be provided with high-quality mobile services in the future;
Offer existing operators planning and investment security through 15-year licence terms, while providing new players with the opportunity to enter the market;
Leverage a simple, tried-and-tested auction format (a “clock auction”), which is the method preferred by industry;
Deliver an efficient assignment and use of spectrum by auctioning the bands in numerous blocks (almost all in units of 2x5MHz); and
In line with telecoms legislation in Switzerland, generate “appropriate” revenue from the auction of scarce frequencies, which would be collected as a one-time payment.
Spectrum caps will ensure no one bidder can amass an excessive amount of licences relative to its competitors
ComCom intends to undertake the auction in Q2 2027, noting that it could last a few days to several weeks. The format will follow the “internationally proven”, two-stage procedure ComCom used successfully in the latest auction in 2019. The first stage involves a multi-round auction, in which the available spectrum is allocated to the bidders. In the second stage – a single round of sealed bids – the assignment of frequencies within the bands is determined. The multi-round auction takes place only if demand from bidders exceeds the supply of spectrum on offer. ComCom has set minimum bid prices for each of the five bands, with sub-1GHz spectrum carrying the highest per-block prices (CHF23.1m, or £21.0m) – a decision that takes into account the attractiveness of this spectrum, the small number of blocks and the statutory requirement for appropriate auction revenue. To ensure that the results of the auction do not undermine competition, the regulator has also imposed bidding restrictions (i.e. spectrum caps) to prevent an individual bidder from acquiring an excessive number of frequencies that would strengthen its market position at the expense of competitors. The restrictions ensure that even a financially strong bidder can acquire, in total, a maximum of 43% of the FDD frequencies put out to tender and up to 38% of the spectrum below 1GHz. Further, no FDD band can be purchased for exclusive use.
The regulator believes a 15-year licence term provides operators with sufficient investment certainty
The licences will be awarded on an exclusive and technology-neutral basis. Operators would therefore be free to choose which mobile technologies to deploy (e.g. 4G, 5G) based on their business model, provided they comply with the terms of use. The licences will be valid for a period of 15 years from 1 January 2029, which ComCom considers would guarantee long-term planning certainty for operators and provide them the opportunity to secure a return on their investment, without unduly delaying market access for new entrants. While the regulator also stated that a 15-year term is “within the usual range by European standards”, neighbouring countries, such as Germany and Italy, as well as Portugal and Spain, have moved or proposed to renew operators’ existing licences (albeit sometimes with enhanced coverage obligations) instead of undertaking a fresh auction. Although the process is seen as a way of rebalancing Salt, Sunrise and Swisscom’s spectrum portfolios, with the latter holding 44% of the total spectrum set to be auctioned, the operators have previously argued that renewal rather than reallocation would be their preferred option. Any interested companies wishing to provide mobile services in Switzerland using their own infrastructure may apply to take part in the award procedure by 3 December 2026.
