Swisscom and other major telecommunications operators in Switzerland are encountering significant challenges in the ongoing expansion of 5G infrastructure due to a recent Federal Court ruling.
The ruling, which requires retrospective planning applications for upgraded 5G sites, threatens to slow the progress of 5G Plus coverage. Swisscom CEO, Christoph Aeschlimann, expressed frustration during the company’s latest results call, noting that despite increasing 5G Plus coverage to 83% of the population—a six percentage point increase over the past year—these new legal requirements pose a serious obstacle.
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The court’s decision mandates that Swisscom submit approximately 1,300 retrospective planning applications for its 5G sites. Combined with Sunrise and Salt, the required applications reach around 2,500. This new requirement compounds a backlog of 2,500 pending building permit applications, further complicating efforts to achieve the goal of 90% 5G Plus coverage by 2025.
Aeschlimann emphasized that this development makes meeting the company’s targets significantly more challenging. In response, Swisscom has filed an appeal with the Federal Administrative Court and is prepared to take the case to the Federal Supreme Court if necessary. Aeschlimann predicts that the legal proceedings could take five to eight years, potentially coinciding with the introduction of 6G technology.
The legal challenges arise from broader controversies surrounding adaptive antennas used in 5G networks. Following the Federal Court’s decision, the canton of Aargau recently reversed its simplified permit procedure for 5G upgrades, now requiring complete building permit applications for any site using a correction factor to boost transmission power. This change alone affects 200 antenna sites in Aargau, with similar implications expected across Switzerland.
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The issue has ignited political and environmental debates, particularly concerning the increased emissions from adaptive antennas. Reports indicate that these antennas can emit up to ten times the power of conventional antennas during peak operations. While the Federal Office for the Environment has recommended allowing operators to adjust directional antennas to four times the legal power limit, operators had requested an increase of up to 15 times.
A 2022 survey by Comparis revealed that the Swiss public remains divided on the 5G rollout, with 42.5% supporting the government’s rapid deployment strategy and 41.7% opposing it.
As legal battles and public opinion continue to influence the 5G landscape, the future of Swisscom’s mobile network expansion remains uncertain.
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