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Getting a phone line

How to get a phone line installed at home

In most apartments with previous residents, there will already be a phone line installed. Getting it connected is a straightforward process which usually takes one to two weeks.

At the time of writing, fixed line connections are still only available from Swisscom. As a foreigner without a C-permit, you might be required to pay a deposit of up to CHF 1000 before your line is connected. This will be repaid with interest upon cancellation of the contract.

If you move into a new apartment which doesn’t have a phone line, you may have to pay Swisscom to install one. A line installation or connection can be ordered at your nearest Swisscom shop or via the free service number 0800 880 113. If someone has to visit to make the installation, Swisscom will arrange an appointment with you. Make sure you are at home at the arranged time – it is likely that the engineer will arrive on time and will not wait for you to get back – this could mean having to pay for a return visit.

You can rent a phone handset from Swisscom, but if you are staying for a while, buying your own will probably be cheaper.

Analogue or ISDN

When getting a phone line, you can choose between analogue or ISDN connections. ISDN is popular in Switzerland - almost half of all phone lines are equipped with it. Besides offering a higher connection speed for Internet dial-up access, ISDN also allows you to use multiple phone lines simultaneously (you can be online by dial-up while using the phone).

Alternative providers

If you want to use a company other than Swisscom as your call provider, your chosen provider will ask for your authorization to have you connected to their network. In this case, you won’t have to dial any more prefixes to use your alternative provider. Since Swisscom obviously has little interest in making sure that connection goes smoothly, you should check that you’ve really been connected to your chosen provider.

Phone bill

Your telephone bill ( Rechnung - Facture) is issued monthly, whether by Swisscom or another provider. It will show you the charges for the previous month, separated between national and international calls. You can also ask for detailed calling lists to be sent to you with your bill – you will be charged for the privilege. All telephone charges are subject to 7.6% VAT.

If you want to avoid the inconvenience of not being disconnected when you forget to pay the phone bill, consider paying your bills by direct debit ( Dauerauftrag - mandat), in which case the amount due is automatically debited from your bank account.