Population:	7.5 million
Coverage:	93%
Services:	30 DAB, 42 DAB+
Sales (accumulated):	500,000 devices
Penetration by household:	10%
Penetration by population:	4%

Last update: 12-08-2010

Switzerland first launched DAB digital radio services in 1999 when the public broadcaster, SRG SSR idee suisse went on air.

Today there are five regional multiplexes covering the German, French and Italian speaking areas of the country, with a mix of public and commercial services.

There is also a mix of standards broadcasting in Switzerland with multiplexes transmitting both DAB and DAB+ services.  Swiss digital radio on DAB or DAB+ now covers over 90% of the population. 

Half a million receivers had been sold by mid-2010 and internal forecasts expect accumulated sales to rise to 700'000 by early 2011. Currently, over 10% of all households have access to a digital radio.

There are currently 72 DAB or DAB+ services on air (incorporating 30 different brands on five multiplexes). 

The original four multiplexes are run by the public broadcaster SRG SSR idée suisse, and the first commercial DAB+ multiplex which was launched on October 13th 2009 now broadcasts 11 commercial digital-only and 4 public radio stations in the German-speaking part of Switzerland.

Digital radio on DAB or DAB+ in Switzerland reaches over 90% of the population.  The Swiss public broadcaster, SRG SSR idee suisse, has now started filling the last white spots on the DAB coverage map, most of which are in remote or sparsely populated areas.  The most recent region to receive DAB reception is the Grisons in the East of Switzerland.

In this country there are

• Regional multiplexes: 5 Regular

There are 19 different brands on air, all of them by the public broadcaster SRG SSR idee suisse (one in cooperation with the BBC).

• 12 programmes on DAB in the German-speaking part of Switzerland (6 DAB only, 1 AM simulcast and 5 FM simulcast)
• 11 programmes on DAB in the French-speaking part of Switzerland (5 DAB only, 1 AM simulcast and 5 FM simulcast)
• 10 programmes on DAB in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland (7 DAB only, 3 FM simulcast)
• 13 programmes on DAB+ and 2 on DAB in the Romansh-speaking part of Switzerland

All specialist radio and TV retailers as well as the major chains now sell DAB+ receivers in  Switzerland, and there is a huge choice of different receivers in the market. A survey regularly conducted by the Swiss research company Mediapulse suggests that by early 2010, a total of 450,000 receivers have been sold.

By mid 2010, the accumulated sales have risen to about half a million, and internal forecasts expect a total of 700'000 receivers in the market by early 2011.

DAB+ local trials took place in Berne and Zurich in November and December 2007.

A DMB trial has also been on-air through the MIFRIENDS project.

The SRG licence includes the operation of a DAB multiplex and transmission network in Band III. The transmitter sites are operated by Swisscom Broadcast, but SRG is responsible for the planning of the network, signal generating and multiplexing.

Commercial radio and media companies in the German part of Switzerland were granted 8 licences in summer 2007.

SwissMediaCast AG was granted a licence to broadcast on Channel 7D by Swiss Ofcom (the regulator).  SMC AG is now running the first commercial DAB+ multiplex in German-speaking Switzerland. 

The Swiss Ofcom has also opened a call for tender for eight commercial programme licences in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.