Swiss government reports backs measures on 5G antennas, fibre expansion

Swiss govt reports backs measures on 5G antennas, fibre expansion

Telecompaper, 13 April 2022

The Swiss government is supporting high-performance networks with adaptive mobile antennas for 5G in combination with a targeted expansion of fibre-optic networks, while at the same time protecting the population from radiation from antennas, according to a report by the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) in partnership with the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and approved by the government. The report said the use of adaptive antennas on the 5G network partially reduces exposure to radiation, simultaneously increasing network capacity by a factor of ten compared with 4G.

The use of adaptive antennas is allowed in Switzerland under current rules. As a result, the operators estimate that fewer new antennas will be required for the expansion of the 5G network than initially assumed, at 7,500 instead of 26,500. The costs will also be significantly lower at CHF 3.2 billion instead of CHF 7.7 billion. The report shows that the number of antennas required depends mainly on the volume of data that will be transmitted.

The expansion of fibre-optic networks is at an advanced stage in Switzerland, and the Federal Council is willing to push it further. As a first concrete step in this direction, the cabinet submitted for consultation the proposal for a basic universal internet service at 80 Mbps in December last year. In 2023, the Federal Council will submit to Parliament a broadband strategy to promote network infrastructure in Switzerland.

https://www.telecompaper.com/news/swiss-govt-reports-backs-measures-on-5g-antennas-fibre-expansion--1421098