Sunrise or Swisscom 2022: the best provider for you

As a specialist dealer, we are often asked: which is better, Sunrise or Swisscom? There is no definitive answer; too many factors play a decisive role. In this article, we try to provide a little clarity and thus can help you make a decision.

UPDATE 2022: this article has been completely revised after the takeover of UPC Cablecom by Sunrise in 2022 and should represent the current offers (without claim to completeness).
Press release UPC and Sunrise fully combined

In Swiss households, things used to look similar: people had a telephone connection for their landline phone and a cable connection to receive TV channels. The question of Sunrise or Swisscom (Sunrise is formerly UPC Cablecom cable TV) was not really up for discussion at the time. One of the few options available was to replace the cable TV connection with a satellite system in order to receive TV channels this way.

TV, Internet and fixed network: What options do you have today?

1. Swisscom TV, Internet and fixed network telephony via the telephone or fiber optic jack
   
2. Sunrise We TV, Internet and fixed network telephony via the cable connection
   
3. Satellite TV for TV reception and Sunrise or Swisscom for Internet and fixed-line telephony
   
4. Cable connection via basic connection for TV reception

Explanation basic cable TV connection

Before we present the individual options in detail, we would like to briefly discuss the topic of basic access with Sunrise (formerly UPC Cablecom).

A basic cable TV connection with Sunrise costs CHF 39.90 per month. In Switzerland, most tenants pay the basic connection directly to the landlord via the service charges. If you want to completely disconnect from the cable connection because you choose either option 1 or option 3 in combination with Swisscom from the options listed above, you as a tenant must also terminate this basic connection with the landlord and thus have your connection sealed in the apartment.

If, on the other hand, you also opt for Sunrise for Internet and fixed network, then all Internet and TV offers are without additional costs for the basic connection; the basic connection is already included in the subscription.

If you do nothing and have a basic connection in your house or apartment, probably because it has always been there, then as a customer you will remain in the old system. The active basic connection allows you to easily connect your TV sets and radios with a cable to the TV socket and receive all free TV and radio stations.

However, this basic connection alone will not be able to provide you with Internet or a fixed network.

In most cases, anyone who wants to receive Internet and fixed network telephony via the Sunrise TV network will get a better deal if they cancel their basic connection and existing subscriptions (if any) and take out a new Internet subscription (with or without additional TV service and fixed network).

Explanation Swisscom connection

In Switzerland, most buildings are equipped with a telecommunications connection, this is provided by Swisscom on behalf of OFCOM. The buildings can be connected with a copper cable (CU) or with a fiber optic cable (FOC).

Whether this connection is also tapped into your apartment often depends on which connection was used in the past. If you do not have a current subscription for fixed network, TV or Internet with Swisscom, you do not pay a fee for the unused connection.

Unlike the cable connection, this line does not need to be sealed, it simply remains inactive.

Sunrise or Swisscom: A comparison of the various options

Option 1: Swisscom TV, Internet and fixed network telephony via the telephone or fiber optic jack

Swisscom is the leading provider in Switzerland in the areas of Internet, fixed network telephony and TV, and in our opinion convinces with a good service and a strong TV offering.

Swisscom offers a variety of subscriptions that can be perfectly adapted to your needs. Under the name inOne Home , the various services (Internet, TV, and fixed-network telephony) can be combined according to your wishes.

Very often, attractive promotions are also offered for new customers, but it should be noted that these special conditions usually have a term of 12 months and the subscription then continues at the normal rate.

Popular Swisscom inHome one subscriptions with our customers

Internet	TV	Price per month (without promotion)
blue Internet S with 100 Mbit/s	blue TV M with >290 channels and 7 days replay	CHF 89.80*
blue Internet M with 300 Mbit/s	blue TV L with >330 channels and 7 days replay + 12 Premium UHD channels	CHF 114.80*

* during the first 6 months the package costs CHF 69.80.

Swisscom also charges a one-time activation fee of CHF 89.

The TV offer can also be expanded with additional packages such as Top Deutsch+ (CHF 9 per month) or blue+ (Max CHF 19.90, Docu CHF 9.90 and Sport CHF 29.90 per month) for an additional charge.

YOU WANT TO CONNECT MORE THAN ONE TV DEVICE: If you have Swisscom blue TV at home with an inOne home subscription, you can install and use up to 5 TV boxes.

Parallel television on the various boxes is possible without any problems, provided that the necessary bandwidth is available. Between the router connected to the phone socket and the various TV boxes usually no cables need to be pulled, this connection is made wirelessly via WLAN if reception is sufficient.

For each additional TV box you pay CHF 5 per month and once you have to buy the additional TV boxes for CHF 99 (update September 2022) or you watch TV on Smart TVs with the blue TV app.

All other Swisscom inONe Home offers can be found here.

Option 2: Sunrise TV, Internet and fixed network telephony via the cable connection

As the second largest provider in Switzerland, Sunrise also offers a wide variety of subscriptions and options. Especially if you are mainly interested in a fast Internet connection, then Sunrise may be the better choice for you. The condition for using the Sunrise offer is the basic cable connection described above but included in the subscription price.

Here, too, the three services Internet, fixed network telephony and TV can be combined as desired.

Very often very attractive promotions are also offered for new customers, but it should be noted that these special conditions usually have a term of 12 or 24 months and the subscription then continues at the normal rate.

Popular Sunrise Combi subscription with our customers

Internet	TV	Subscription price per month (without doctorate)	Subscription price per month (with doctorate)
Up Internet L (1 Gbit/s)	UP TV L with >280 channels and 7 days replay	CHF 89	CHF 49*

* during the first 24 months, thereafter CHF 89

The TV offering can also be expanded as desired with the MySports, Netflix or Premium add-on packages for an additional charge.

YOU WANT TO CONNECT MORE THAN ONE TV DEVICE: If you have a Sunrise TV subscription, you can install and use up to 5 TV boxes with the add-on TV Box solution. Parallel television on the different boxes is possible without any problems. Every Sunrise TV Box in your household needs a connection to the cable outlet and an active connection to the Internet via your

Sunrise modem. Each additional Sunrise TV Box costs CHF 10/month.

You can find an overview of Sunrise offers here.

Option 3: Satellite TV for TV reception and Sunrise or Swisscom for Internet and fixed-line telephony

A satellite reception system can be a good alternative. Such a system offers a high flexibility of available channels and additional packages that can be activated via so-called SmartCards, is very low-maintenance when professionally installed and has the great advantage that no recurring fixed costs are incurred (except for possible additional packages for the reception of special channels).

In apartment buildings, a satellite reception system is often already mounted on the roof and all the apartment is already wired, then you only need to have the appropriate equipment designed for satellite reception. Many modern televisions are already equipped with satellite modules and allow you to enjoy satellite channels without additional and visually unappealing devices.

However, the satellite reception system is really only suitable for receiving TV channels; for any Internet and/or landline telephony, you can again use the two providers mentioned above, Sunrise or Swisscom. Both also offer their subscriptions without TV reception.

Option 4: Cable connection via basic connection for TV reception

The 4th and last option we actually only recommend to those who already have a working cable connection, don’t want internet and/or landline phone and just want to watch classic TV, completely without special additional features like replay and exotic channels.

You can receive over 80 TV channels and 170 radio stations without the need for an additional box or other devices. This channel list as PDF shows the channels marked with a green dot that you can receive in Ticino (as of August 2021).

As described under“Explanation of basic cable TV connection“, all you need is a cable connection (which is active) and an appropriate cable to connect the TV (with DVB-C receiver).

This is what the cable TV boxes needed for this look like:

There are apartments that have a cable box with 2 holes and those with 3 holes. In both cases, it is the cable connection.

What do the sockets for the connection look like at your home?

Connections in Switzerland have always evolved and changed over time. Here we show them which can you are most likely to find at your home and what to do if any.

Swisscom (telephone connection) sockets

Optical fiber cans (OTO cans)

Cable TV sockets

These sockets are used if you want to use Cablecom’s Internet, TV and fixed-line services. The 2-hole box looks very similar for many years, so there is a very good chance that such a box could be installed in one or more places in your home as well.

What can make the choice easier and speed up commissioning?

• Was there a previous tenant or owner in the house or apartment? If so, try to find out which connection (Sunrise or Swisscom) this person used for Internet and telephony before you.
  
• Which connections are already available in the house or apartment?
  
• In the case of vacation homes and apartments: which connection do you use at your home address?

Sunrise or Swisscom: The king’s conclusion

With so many options and providers, it is sometimes really not easy to keep track of everything and choose the right offer for your own needs. This article is intended to be a little help in your choice, but since many factors play a role, the advice of a specialist dealer can be helpful in the question Sunrise or Swisscom.

With our many years of experience in the field of TV, Internet and telephone connections, we will be happy to advise you and help you find the right solution. We take full care of the technical implementation, from the conclusion of the subscription to the eventual conversion of the connections and the installation and commissioning of all devices.

Contact us for a no obligation consultation