The participants at the fifth Round Table on fibre-optic development discussed the models for cooperation which have recently arisen and took note of the progress in the discussions in the working groups which have been set up. The principles decided at previous round tables are being efficiently implemented in order to prevent duplication of infrastructure and to enable competition. One principle which is gaining acceptance is that the network operators will meet the FTTH installation costs for buildings, rather than their owners. This will accelerate the development of fibre-optic networks.

The Federal Council is in favour of a new fee system to finance public service radio and television. In a report to parliament, it recommends the introduction of a universal fee for households and businesses. The new system would dispense with the existing issues of linking fees to the reception device. In addition, the costs of billing and collecting fees would be considerably reduced.

The Federal Communications Commission (ComCom) has defined the prices and conditions for access to Swisscom’s cable ducts. The monthly price for joint use of cable ducts has been reduced by approximately 50% for the years 2007 and 2008.

At the request of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC), the Federal Council has held discussions on the development of broadband in Switzerland.

From 1 January 2010, the Federal Office of Communications will take up from the Federal Office of Energy the responsibility for the enforcement of the Ordinance on Electromagnetic Compatibility (OEMC). OFCOM will therefore be responsible for issues relating to interference due to electromagnetic fields. Today the Federal Council gave the green light for this transfer. It also approved the complete revision of the ordinance to harmonise it with the European legislation.

The Federal Communications Commission (ComCom) has instructed the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) to prepare the allocation of mobile radio frequencies which are either currently free or which will become free in the foreseeable future. ComCom is expected to launch the public invitation to tender for these frequencies in the course of the next year. The allocation of frequencies will take place by auction.

The round table on rolling out the optical fibre network to homes (Fibre To The Home – FTTH) and the corresponding working groups are producing concrete results: the major players are in agreement on uniform technical standards. Hence there are no longer any technical barriers to the rapid expansion of the fibre-optic network. In addition, coordination will be able to prevent the parallel construction of new networks, by laying multiple fibres in every building (multiple fibre model). At the same time the participants in the round table are agreed that all providers must have access to the fibre-optic network under the same conditions, in order to protect end-users' freedom of choice.

The Federal Administrative Court has rejected an appeal from Radio Energy. It therefore upheld the procedure of the Federal Office of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) for VHF licensing in the Zurich-Glarus region. Radio Energy must definitively cease VHF transmissions in three months at the latest. It is free to continue digital transmission of its programme service via DAB, cable networks or the internet.

The Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) is today sending the draft version of the revised Radio and Television Ordinance (RTVO) to interested parties for consultation. The main reason for the revision of the RTVO are changes in international regulations. The interested parties have until 2 October 2009 to submit their comments.

The Federal Office of Communications OFCOM is making available the first two short numbers in the 116xyz format. As in the rest of Europe, these numbers are reserved for telephone services providing support and assistance to the population.